During a recent trip to West Bengal,Union Minister for Power Manohar Lal urged state departments to settle outstanding dues quickly. This push aims to ease the financial burden on distribution companies (discoms) grappling with delayed payments.
Mr. Lal stressed the importance of a dependable system for regular payments. He also pushed for a move to prepaid metering,believing it could boost efficiency in the power sector. Smart meters were a key topic, with Mr. Lal calling for rapid rollout across the state.
Reports say West Bengal government plans to install smart meters in all government buildings by June,moving to a prepaid system by August . The meeting featured important figures like West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and senior officials from various ministries and public sector enterprises in the energy sector.
As global tensions impact energy security,Mr. Lal's visit highlights the need to tackle these financial and operational issues in the state's power system.
