Maha govt to install prepaid smart electricity meters: CM Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday announced that his government will install prepaid smart electricity meters, which will benefit 1.66 crore power consumers in the state. The Maharashtra cabinet had on Wednesday approved a proposal to set up prepaid smart meters for electricity consumers and strengthen the electricity distribution system. In his virtual address during the 'Ujjwal Bharat Ujjwal Bhavishya - Power 2047' a programme organised by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) at Shahapur in Thane district, Shinde said, ''Prepaid smart electricity meters will be installed in the state, which will benefit around 1.66 crore consumers.'' These meters will installed on the power transformers, he said.

Prepaid system of metering minimises inefficiencies in collection, while the smart feature in the prepaid smart metering allows a near real-time identification of loss pockets, while also giving consumer the freedom to plan their electricity usage as per their own needs and resources. Maharashtra has been at the forefront in the country as far as the energy sector is concerned, Shinde said, adding, ''We are making efforts to implement an energy policy for the benefit of the industrial and agricultural sectors.'' He added that during the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, important decisions were taken that were aimed at reducing the losses happening due to power leakage.

''In the coming period, the projects undertaken by the state government in partnership with the Centre will be implemented in a rapid manner,'' he said. Union Minister Kapil Patil, MLA Niranjan Davkhare and senior officials of the state power companies in the state took part in the event.

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