Lok Sabha Question No. 6243 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-02
Subject: Review of Performance of DISCOMs
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Shri Captain Brijesh Chowta, Smt. Aparajita Sarangi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.6243 ANSWERED ON 02.04.2026

## REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE OF DISCOMS

6243. SHRI CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA: SMT. APARAJITA SARANGI:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken any review of the performance of Power Distribution  Companies  (DISCOMs)  under  the  Revamped  Distribution  Sector  Scheme (RDSS)  with  regard  to  operational  efficiency  and  reducing  Aggregate  Technical  and Commercial (AT&C) losses, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the progress made in reducing AT&C losses and improving billing and collection efficiency across States; and
- (c) whether the Government has taken steps to accelerate the installation of smart meters  and  modernise  distribution  infrastructure  in  order  to  strengthen  financial sustainability  of  DISCOMs  and  improve  quality  of  power  supply  and  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## A N S W E R

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER

(SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)

(a) to (c): Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) has been launched by the Government  of  India  (GoI)  in  the  year  2021  with  the  objective  of  improving  the operational efficiency and financial viability of the distribution utilities. Under the scheme, distribution infrastructure works, including smart metering works, worth Rs. 2.83  lakh  crore  have  been  sanctioned.  The  scheme  aims  to  reduce  Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses to pan-India levels of 12-15% and eliminate the gap between Average Cost of Supply (ACS) and Average Revenue Realised (ARR).

Under  the  scheme,  projects  worth  Rs.  1.53  lakh  crore  for  loss  reduction infrastructure and Rs. 1.31 lakh crore for smart metering have been sanctioned based on  the  proposals  submitted  by  the  States.  The  loss  reduction  works  include replacement  of  old  conductors,  augmentation  of  substations  and  Distribution Transformers  (DTs),  creation  of  new  substations,  installation  of  new  DTs,  feeder segregation  and  implementation  of  SCADA/  DMS  (Supervisory  Control  and  Data Acquisition/ Distribution Management System) systems for real-time monitoring. The works have been undertaken under RDSS to reduce losses and improve quality of power supply.

Further, installation of smart meters is a key intervention under the scheme which  helps  improve  the  financial  discipline  of  the  DISCOMs  through  enhanced revenue collection and better energy accounting of the distribution system. Smart metering works for 19.79 crore consumers, 2.11 lakh feeders and 52.53 lakh DTs, totaling  20.33  crore  smart  meters,  have  been  sanctioned  based  on  the  proposals submitted by the States/ distribution utilities and 4.69 crore smart meters have been installed.  Smart  meters  have  also  been  installed  under  other  schemes  including States' own schemes. A total of 6.13 crore smart meters have been installed across the country under various schemes.

To accelerate installation  of  smart  meters,  the  Ministry  has  issued  various advisories and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to build consumer confidence, which include:

- (i) Prioritizing installation of prepaid smart meters for Government establishments, commercial,  industrial  and  high-load  consumers  and  subsequently  for  other consumers based on demonstration of benefits;
- (ii) Incentivizing consumers for prepaid meter installation through rebates in bill;
- (iii) No penalty on consumer based on maximum demand recorded by smart meters;
- (iv) Mechanism for recovery of past arrears in easy installments;
- (v) Installation  of  check  meters  for  enhancing  confidence  in  accuracy  of  smart meters.

The performance of distribution utilities under the scheme is regularly reviewed through institutional mechanisms. Monitoring and review of works sanctioned under RDSS, including smart metering works, is being done by the Nodal Agencies namely PFC Ltd and REC Ltd on a regular basis. Further, an institutional mechanism at the State level i.e., Distribution Reforms Committee headed by Chief Secretary of the State concerned, and at the Central level i.e., Inter-Ministerial Monitoring Committee headed by Secretary (Power), has been put in place under the RDSS guidelines to review and monitor the implementation of the works sanctioned under the scheme.

Further, the release of funds under the scheme is contingent on improvement in various operational and financial parameters which, in addition to other initiatives taken by GoI and States, has helped to improve efficiency in DISCOMs. These include timely payment of subsidies and Government department dues to the utilities, regular issuance of tariff order, publishing of accounts, non-creation of regulatory assets, etc.

As  a  result  of  the  various  reform  measures  taken  under  RDSS  and  other initiatives, the AT&C losses of distribution utilities at the national level have reduced from 21.91% in FY21 to 15.04% in FY25. Further, the billing efficiency at national level has improved from 84.17% in FY21 to 87.59 % in FY25 and the collection efficiency has improved from 92.77% in FY21 to 97% in FY25. State wise details are enclosed at Annexure.

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## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6243 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 02.04.2026

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## State wise AT&C Loss (%)

| State/ UT                 | FY21   |   FY22 |   FY23 |   FY24 |   FY25 |
|---------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 51.94  |  19.8  |  19.77 |  20.76 |  24.14 |
| Andhra Pradesh            | 20.41  |  10.55 |   7.74 |  12.05 |   7.87 |
| Arunachal Pradesh         | 51.82  |  48.89 |  51.7  |  42.86 |  46.2  |
| Assam                     | 18.73  |  16.95 |  16.22 |  14.03 |  15.44 |
| Bihar                     | 34.4   |  32.42 |  23.45 |  20.32 |  15.51 |
| Chhattisgarh              | 18.05  |  18.13 |  16.14 |  15.88 |  14.25 |
| Delhi                     | 24.83  |   8.33 |  10.67 |  12.82 |   8.36 |
| Goa                       | 12.89  |  13.28 |  17.09 |   9.09 |  10.39 |
| Gujarat                   | 11.56  |  10.13 |  10.72 |   8.97 |   8.25 |
| Haryana                   | 17.46  |  13.72 |  12.01 |  11.3  |  11.76 |
| Himachal Pradesh          | 14.02  |  12.9  |  10.57 |  10.88 |  19.44 |
| Jharkhand                 | 43.09  |  33.79 |  27.46 |  30.51 |  28.19 |
| Karnataka                 | 15.97  |  11.45 |  14.19 |  11.89 |  11.92 |
| Kerala                    | 7.83   |   7.69 |   5.65 |   7.44 |   6.61 |
| Ladakh                    | -      |  48.29 |  38.61 |  42.46 |  26.82 |
| Madhya Pradesh            | 41.72  |  22.55 |  20.45 |  22.89 |  22.76 |
| Maharashtra               | 27.68  |  15.25 |  16.96 |  23.86 |  17.69 |
| Manipur                   | 24.56  |  23.62 |  13.82 |  13.41 |  12.9  |
| Meghalaya                 | 23.37  |  27.3  |  17.75 |  17.51 |  17.52 |
| Mizoram                   | 29.05  |  36.23 |  26.53 |  28.01 |  32.31 |
| Nagaland                  | 47.08  |  41.25 |  47.28 |  47.11 |  48.86 |
| Puducherry                | 20.12  |  11.08 |  21.83 |  17.75 |  14.72 |
| Punjab                    | 18.54  |  11.67 |  11.23 |  10.96 |  19.21 |
| Rajasthan                 | 26.18  |  17.49 |  15.44 |  22.13 |  15.18 |
| Sikkim                    | 98.35  |  30.77 |  26.41 |  27.84 |  21.84 |
| Tamil Nadu                | 11.78  |  13.46 |  10.92 |  11.39 |  10.96 |
| Telangana                 | 13.33  |  10.65 |  18.65 |  19.01 |  19.84 |
| Tripura                   | 37.36  |  33.25 |  24.91 |  69.01 |  29.61 |
| Uttar Pradesh             | 27.11  |  30.52 |  22.18 |  16.39 |  19.54 |
| Uttarakhand               | 15.39  |  14.15 |  14.41 |  14.69 |  15.08 |
| West Bengal               | 21.34  |  16.67 |  17.43 |  17.13 |  17.17 |
| Private Sector            | 13.86  |  15.23 |  10.76 |  11    |  10.05 |
| National                  | 21.91  |  16.12 |  15.11 |  16.12 |  15.04 |

## State wise billing efficiency (%)

| State/ UT                 | FY21   |   FY22 |   FY23 |   FY24 |   FY25 |
|---------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 76.5   |  80.74 |  81.86 |  79.24 |  76.7  |
| Andhra Pradesh            | 92.37  |  92.43 |  92.77 |  92.67 |  92.81 |
| Arunachal Pradesh         | 48.18  |  53.3  |  55.97 |  60.07 |  60.24 |
| Assam                     | 81.45  |  83.05 |  83.78 |  86.31 |  84.56 |
| Bihar                     | 72.36  |  78.81 |  79.88 |  84.04 |  86.45 |
| Chhattisgarh              | 83.16  |  87.87 |  83.86 |  85.78 |  85.75 |
| Delhi                     | 81.57  |  91.67 |  89.33 |  96.08 |  91.64 |
| Goa                       | 82.27  |  91.54 |  93.18 |  91.82 |  92.25 |
| Gujarat                   | 88.44  |  90.7  |  90.27 |  91.2  |  91.9  |
| Haryana                   | 82.95  |  86.28 |  89.03 |  89.51 |  90.12 |
| Himachal Pradesh          | 85.98  |  87.25 |  89.43 |  89.79 |  90.32 |
| Jharkhand                 | 65.26  |  72.51 |  72.54 |  73.46 |  71.81 |
| Karnataka                 | 88.01  |  88.55 |  89.22 |  89.62 |  90.53 |
| Kerala                    | 92.24  |  92.31 |  94.35 |  94.35 |  93.39 |
| Ladakh                    | -      |  59.48 |  61.39 |  61.29 |  81.1  |
| Madhya Pradesh            | 76.64  |  79.68 |  79.55 |  78.35 |  78.16 |
| Maharashtra               | 84.77  |  85.08 |  85.28 |  83.95 |  84.56 |
| Manipur                   | 86.07  |  83.05 |  86.18 |  88.52 |  89.41 |
| Meghalaya                 | 76.63  |  77.77 |  84.01 |  82.49 |  83.4  |
| Mizoram                   | 70.95  |  70.55 |  73.47 |  71.99 |  69.16 |
| Nagaland                  | 54.85  |  58.72 |  55.7  |  54.94 |  53.77 |
| Puducherry                | 88.02  |  88.92 |  87.11 |  89.33 |  90.38 |
| Punjab                    | 88.52  |  88.35 |  88.77 |  89.27 |  87.82 |
| Rajasthan                 | 80.65  |  82.51 |  84.56 |  82.9  |  85.7  |
| Sikkim                    | 744.08 |  77.83 |  73.59 |  72.16 |  78.16 |
| Tamil Nadu                | 89.49  |  87.9  |  90.83 |  90.08 |  90.32 |
| Telangana                 | 92.19  |  90.96 |  91.89 |  91.24 |  91.54 |
| Tripura                   | 71.54  |  75.26 |  75.09 |  76    |  76.89 |
| Uttar Pradesh             | 79.37  |  80.29 |  83.35 |  84.52 |  86.29 |
| Uttarakhand               | 86.04  |  85.85 |  85.59 |  86.11 |  86.31 |
| West Bengal               | 79.03  |  84.84 |  83.28 |  83.75 |  84.63 |
| Private Sector            | 88.44  |  88.25 |  90.07 |  89.42 |  90.33 |
| National                  | 84.17  |  86.08 |  86.98 |  86.91 |  87.59 |

## State wise collection efficiency (%)

| State/ UT                 | FY21   |   FY22 |   FY23 |   FY24 |   FY25 |
|---------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 62.82  |  99.33 |  98.01 | 100    |  98.91 |
| Andhra Pradesh            | 86.15  |  96.77 |  99.45 |  94.91 |  99.26 |
| Arunachal Pradesh         | 100    |  95.88 |  86.3  |  95.12 |  89.31 |
| Assam                     | 99.78  | 100    | 100    |  99.6  | 100    |
| Bihar                     | 90.66  |  85.75 |  95.83 |  94.82 |  97.73 |
| Chhattisgarh              | 98.55  | 100    | 100    |  98.06 | 100    |
| Delhi                     | 82.08  | 100    | 100    |  90.74 | 100    |
| Goa                       | 94.4   |  94.74 |  88.98 |  99.01 |  97.14 |
| Gujarat                   | 100    |  99.08 |  98.91 |  99.82 |  99.84 |
| Haryana                   | 99.5   | 100    |  98.84 |  99.1  |  97.92 |
| Himachal Pradesh          | 100    |  99.82 | 100    |  99.26 |  89.2  |
| Jharkhand                 | 87.21  |  91.31 | 100    |  94.6  | 100    |
| Karnataka                 | 95.47  | 100    |  96.18 |  98.32 |  97.3  |
| Kerala                    | 99.92  | 100    | 100    |  98.1  | 100    |
| Ladakh                    | -      |  86.94 | 100    |  93.89 |  90.23 |
| Madhya Pradesh            | 76.03  |  97.2  | 100    |  98.42 |  98.83 |
| Maharashtra               | 85.32  |  99.6  |  97.37 |  90.69 |  97.34 |
| Manipur                   | 87.65  |  91.97 | 100    |  97.83 |  97.41 |
| Meghalaya                 | 100    |  93.48 |  97.91 | 100    |  98.89 |
| Mizoram                   | 100    |  90.9  | 100    | 100    |  97.88 |
| Nagaland                  | 96.47  | 100    |  94.64 |  96.26 |  95.11 |
| Puducherry                | 90.75  | 100    |  89.73 |  92.08 |  94.36 |
| Punjab                    | 92.02  |  99.7  | 100    |  99.73 |  92    |
| Rajasthan                 | 91.53  | 100    | 100    |  93.93 |  98.96 |
| Sikkim                    | 2.23   |  88.95 | 100    | 100    | 100    |
| Tamil Nadu                | 98.58  |  98.45 |  98.08 |  98.37 |  98.58 |
| Telangana                 | 94.01  |  98.23 |  88.53 |  88.76 |  87.56 |
| Tripura                   | 87.55  |  88.7  | 100    |  40.77 |  91.54 |
| Uttar Pradesh             | 91.84  |  86.54 |  93.36 |  98.93 |  93.24 |
| Uttarakhand               | 98.34  | 100    | 100    |  99.08 |  98.39 |
| West Bengal               | 99.53  |  98.21 |  99.15 |  98.94 |  97.87 |
| Private Sector            | 97.4   |  96.05 |  99.08 |  99.53 |  99.58 |
| National                  | 92.77  |  97.45 |  97.6  |  96.51 |  97    |

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