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West Bengal Suspends Prepaid Smart Meter Scheme

Officials say widespread consumer grievances over inflated bills prompted the move to quarterly billing, with an option for users to revert to traditional meters.

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Overview

  • The state government has indefinitely halted new prepaid smart meter installations in private residences while continuing deployment in government and commercial buildings.
  • Power minister Arup Biswas announced that about 60,000 installed smart meters will now be billed every three months like conventional units.
  • Residents lodged roughly 5,000 formal complaints alleging electricity bills doubled or tripled after smart meter activation.
  • Consumers reported difficulty reconnecting supply after prepayments ran out, triggering mass protests in districts such as Howrah, North 24 Parganas and Bardhaman.
  • The project was part of a central government–driven scheme to secure restructuring funds and help the debt-ridden West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company recover dues.