Chennai, 07 June (H.S.) :The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday strongly opposed reports that the Tamil Nadu government was considering scrapping the smart electricity meter project, warning that such a move could adversely affect the State’s power sector and result in the loss of nearly ₹5,000 crore in Central assistance and incentives.

BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said the proposed smart meter programme is a critical reform aimed at improving the efficiency and financial health of power distribution utilities. He urged the TVK-led government to carefully assess the long-term consequences before taking any decision on the project.

According to Thirupathy, the initiative is part of the Union Government’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), which seeks to modernise electricity distribution networks, reduce transmission and commercial losses, improve billing efficiency and curb power theft.

He said smart meters would enable accurate measurement of electricity consumption and ensure real-time monitoring, helping Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) improve revenue collection and reduce operational losses.

Rejecting concerns that the project would place a heavy financial burden on the State, the BJP leader maintained that it is supported by a mix of Central grants, institutional funding and private investment. He argued that the scheme would create modern infrastructure without requiring substantial upfront expenditure from the State government.

Thirupathy also alleged that the previous DMK government had delayed the project after raising concerns about its cost and said the current administration should avoid repeating what he described as a policy error.

He warned that discontinuing the programme could deprive Tamil Nadu of nearly ₹5,000 crore in financial support, incentives and concessions linked to power sector reforms and modernisation efforts.

Calling on Energy Minister R. Nirmalkumar to study the matter carefully, Thirupathy said decisions affecting the power sector should be guided by long-term public interest and financial sustainability. He added that moving ahead with the smart meter project would strengthen TANGEDCO’s finances, improve service delivery and help create a more efficient electricity distribution system across the State.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman