West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Tuesday that the state power department will introduce pre-paid smart meters for all electricity consumers in phases.
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“We have started in small phases with government institutions, government schools and government employees. There are a lot of misconceptions. It is mostly (spread) by the Leftists. They did it in Tripura too. But Tripura has introduced smart meters. There has been no negative impact,” Adhikari said while launching a mobile application designed to report power theft.
“Even I had my opinion (about smart meters) when I was the leader of the opposition. I suggested a slow approach and discussions with people. When people are convinced that there is no negative impact, no inflated bills, and that there is a grievance cell and support from a redressal cell if a bill is inflated, then things will slowly fall into place,” he said.
The erstwhile Trinamool Congress (TMC) government introduced smart meters at all West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. (WBSEDCL) offices in October 2024 and gradually brought other government offices and domestic consumers in several districts under the programme. Four private companies received the contracts for installing and maintaining smart meters.
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Kolkata remained outside this system because the Goenka group-owned CESC supplies power to the city and surrounding areas.
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Adhikari as well as CPI(M) leaders staged protests when many domestic consumers in Howrah, North 24 Parganas and East Burdwan districts alleged that their bills had gone up two to three times. Cases were also filed at the Calcutta high court.
The political protests and public reactions compelled the TMC government in June 2025 to stop fresh installation of smart meters for domestic consumers and allow them to revert to traditional meters.
Similar public protests over the use of domestic smart meters have taken place in some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh.
