HPSEBL staff union questions Centre’s smart meter move

Shimla, May 18

The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) Employees Union raised questions over the smart metering project being carried out in the state under Centre’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme, during its regional conference held here today.

Union president Kameshwar Dutt Sharma said the scheme was neither practical nor viable for the state. “The goals, terms and conditions of the scheme are not practical in view of the geographical condition of the state. If the targets mentioned in the scheme are not achieved, the grant being offered by the Centre will get converted into a loan,” he added.

He accused the Centre of paving the way for the entry of big private corporates in power distribution through smart metering and the linked Central grant.