Power Minister in charge, A.T. Mondal, highlighted that the smart metering initiative, designed to curb power losses and improve billing accuracy, had faced delays due to legal challenges. "The initial bid was canceled after one of the bidders' joint venture partners was blacklisted, a decision upheld by the High Court," he explained.
In a significant push towards modernizing rural power distribution, village headmen, or Gaonburhas, have stepped in to support the installation of smart meters across villages in Assam.
The Meghalaya government's ambitious Smart Meter project has hit a financial snag as the state faces significant cost disparities and awaits the Ministry of Power’s green light to proceed with installations.