Lok Sabha Question No. 3099 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-16
Subject: Status of Upgradation to Prepaid Meters
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Dushyant Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3099

## ANSWERED ON 16.12.2021

## STATUS OF UPGRADATION TO PREPAID METERS

3099.  SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has fixed  any timeline  in  installation  of  prepaid  or smart  electricity  meters  all  over  the  country  in  place  of  old  meters  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the current status of upgradation to prepaid meters, State-wise;
- (c) whether the  Government  has any intention to fix prepaid meters for agricultural connections also and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government is offering any financial assistance in installation of prepaid meters to the various State Governments;
- (e) if  so,  the  details  of  such  assistance,  State-wise  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor; and
- (f) the details of the companies involved in the supply and fixing of the meters along with the effectiveness of the prepaid collections in the installed States after upgradation, State-wise?

## A N S W E R

## THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI  R.K. SINGH)

(a) to (c) :  Government of India has provided funds to the States for implementation of smart metering under National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM) and Integrated Power Development  Scheme  (IPDS).  Further,  under  the  Revamped  Distribution  Sector Scheme (RDSS) launched by Government of India on 20 th  July, 2021, provisions have been made to install 25 Crore pre-paid smart meters across the country by March, 2025.  Priority would be accorded to (i) all Electricity Divisions of 500 AMRUT cities, with AT&C Losses > 15%, (ii) all Union Territories, (iii) MSMEs and all other Industrial and Commercial consumers, (iv) all Government offices at Block level and above and (v)  other  areas  with  high  losses  for  installation  by  Dec.,  2023.  RDSS  does  not mandate  smart  metering  for  agricultural  consumers.  The  details  of  smart  meters, including  prepaid  smart  meters  already  installed  in  the  country  are  available  as Annexure.

(d) & (e) : The  Revamped  Distribution  Sector  Scheme  (RDSS)  envisages  smart metering  on  OPEX  mode  and  provides  financial  support  to  DISCOMs  opting  for prepaid smart metering.  Under the scheme, in 'Other than Special Category States', a fixed amount of 15% (22.5% in case of Special Category States) of the cost per meter worked out over the whole project period, subject to a maximum of Rs.900/(Rs.1350/- in case of special category States) per meter in case of consumer meters, will be funded.

States/UTs  would  be  incentivised  for  deployment  of  prepaid  Smart meters  by  December,  2023.  An  incentive  @  7.5%  of  the  cost  per  consumer  meter worked out for the whole project or Rs.450 per consumer meter, whichever is lower, would be provided for 'Other than Special Category States" for prepaid Smart Meters installed within the targeted timeline of first phase mission i.e. by December, 2023. The  incentive  for  Special  Category  States  would  be  @  11.25  %  of  the  cost  per consumer meter worked out for the whole project or Rs.675 per  consumer  meter, whichever is lower.

For the purpose of execution of this scheme, all North Eastern States including  Sikkim  and  States  of  Himachal  Pradesh  &  Uttarakhand  and  Union Territories of Jammu  &  Kashmir,  Ladakh,  Andaman  &  Nicobar  Islands,  and Lakshadweep will be treated as Special Category States/UTs.

(f) : While there are several agencies which have installed smart metering components across the States, large scale deployment of prepaid smart meters has been done by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) in Bihar. As per information made  available  by  South  Bihar  Power  Distribution  Company  Limited  (SBPDCL), collections after installation of prepaid Smart Meters have improved to the extent of 20%.

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## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3099 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 16.12.2021 **************

| State/UT-wise data of Smart metering (as on 09-12-2021)   | State/UT-wise data of Smart metering (as on 09-12-2021)   | State/UT-wise data of Smart metering (as on 09-12-2021)   | State/UT-wise data of Smart metering (as on 09-12-2021)   | State/UT-wise data of Smart metering (as on 09-12-2021)   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                                   | States/UTs                                                | Utility                                                   | Installed Smart Meters                                    | Installed Smart Prepaid Meters                            |
| 1                                                         | Andaman & Nicobar Islands                                 | EDANI                                                     | 66,308                                                    |                                                           |
| 2                                                         | Assam                                                     | APDCL                                                     | 180,416                                                   | 5,430                                                     |
| 3                                                         | Bihar                                                     | NBPDCL                                                    | 143,011                                                   | 142,225                                                   |
| 3                                                         | Bihar                                                     | SBPDCL                                                    | 209,275                                                   | 208,471                                                   |
| 3                                                         | Bihar                                                     | Bihar Total                                               | 352,286                                                   | 350,696                                                   |
| 4                                                         | Chandigarh                                                | CED                                                       | 16,931                                                    |                                                           |
| 5                                                         | Delhi                                                     | NDMC                                                      | 61,449                                                    |                                                           |
| 5                                                         | Delhi                                                     | TPDDL                                                     | 195,000                                                   |                                                           |
| 5                                                         | Delhi                                                     | Delhi Total                                               | 256,449                                                   |                                                           |
| 6                                                         | Gujarat                                                   | UGVCL                                                     | 23,760                                                    |                                                           |
| 7                                                         | Haryana                                                   | UHBVN                                                     | 217,365                                                   | 366                                                       |
| 7                                                         | Haryana                                                   | DHBVN                                                     | 157,672                                                   | 7                                                         |
| 7                                                         | Haryana                                                   | Haryana Total                                             | 375,037                                                   | 373                                                       |
| 8                                                         | Himachal Pradesh                                          | HPSEB                                                     | 24,469                                                    |                                                           |
| 9                                                         | Jammu and Kashmir                                         | JKPDD                                                     | 13,831                                                    |                                                           |
| 10                                                        | Karnataka                                                 | CESCOM                                                    | 20,916                                                    |                                                           |
| 11                                                        | Kerala                                                    | CPT                                                       | 780                                                       |                                                           |
| 12                                                        | Madhya Pradesh                                            | MP-West                                                   | 215,110                                                   |                                                           |
| 13                                                        | Odisha                                                    | OPTCL                                                     | 4,000                                                     |                                                           |
| 14                                                        | Puducherry                                                | PED                                                       | 30,568                                                    |                                                           |
| 15                                                        | Punjab                                                    | PSPCL                                                     | 53,000                                                    |                                                           |
| 16                                                        | Rajasthan                                                 | JaVVNL                                                    | 282,119                                                   |                                                           |
| 16                                                        | Rajasthan                                                 | AVVNL                                                     | 57,501                                                    |                                                           |
| 16                                                        | Rajasthan                                                 | JdVVNL                                                    | 38,839                                                    |                                                           |
| 16                                                        | Rajasthan                                                 | Rajasthan Total                                           | 378,459                                                   |                                                           |
| 17                                                        | Tamil Nadu                                                | TANGEDCO                                                  | 52,482                                                    |                                                           |
| 18                                                        | Tripura                                                   | TSECL                                                     | 43,081                                                    |                                                           |
| 19                                                        | Telangana                                                 | TSSPDCL                                                   | 8,882                                                     |                                                           |
| 20                                                        | Uttar Pradesh                                             | MVVNL                                                     | 378,838                                                   | 3,337                                                     |
| 20                                                        | Uttar Pradesh                                             | PVVNL                                                     | 198,726                                                   | 20                                                        |
| 20                                                        | Uttar Pradesh                                             | DVVNL                                                     | 147,991                                                   | 127                                                       |
| 20                                                        | Uttar Pradesh                                             | PuVVNL                                                    | 321,433                                                   | 1,135                                                     |
| 20                                                        | Uttar Pradesh                                             | KESCO                                                     | 107,346                                                   | 60,266                                                    |
| 20                                                        | Uttar Pradesh                                             | UP Total                                                  | 1,154,334                                                 | 64,885                                                    |
| 21                                                        | West Bengal                                               | WBSEDCL                                                   | 5,164                                                     |                                                           |
| 21                                                        | West Bengal                                               | CESC                                                      | 10,000                                                    |                                                           |
| 21                                                        | West Bengal                                               | West Bengal Total                                         | 15,164                                                    |                                                           |
| 21                                                        | Grand Total                                               | Grand Total                                               | 32,86,263                                                 | 421,384                                                   |

(Source: NSGM website)