Power Minister reviews Haryana power sector, pushes for smart metering and DISCOM reforms

New Delhi: The Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal reviewed the performance and key issues of Haryana’s power sector during a high-level meeting held in Chandigarh on Monday. The review focused on improving the operational and financial health of the state's power utilities, accelerating smart metering, reducing losses, and strengthening power infrastructure.

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The meeting was attended by Anil Vij, Minister for Power, Government of Haryana, along with senior officials from the state government, the Ministry of Power, and power sector central public sector enterprises (CPSEs).

During the review, Manohar Lal highlighted priority areas requiring focused intervention by the state power department and power sector PSUs. Discussions covered the implementation status of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), as well as the operational and financial performance of the state’s distribution companies (DISCOMs).

Emphasising the need for commercially sustainable utility operations, the Union Minister said electricity should be treated as an economic good and that utilities must operate on sound commercial principles. He called for measures to reduce power procurement costs, rationalise expenditure, and enhance revenue generation.

While acknowledging the consistent improvement in Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses over the years, he stressed the need for further gains in efficiency and performance.

The Minister also underlined the importance of timely settlement of government department dues and subsidy payments through an automated payment mechanism to improve the financial position of the utilities.

Reviewing the progress of smart metering in the state, Manohar Lal advised authorities to expedite the award of pending works. Haryana committed to commencing smart meter installation activities on the ground from August 31.

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He further advocated a phased rollout of prepaid smart meters, beginning with government consumers and employees, followed by high-consumption consumers with connected loads exceeding 10 kW. He also suggested introducing suitable incentive mechanisms to encourage voluntary adoption.

The Union Minister directed the state to prioritise all loss-reduction works and ensure their completion within defined timelines. He also reviewed resource adequacy planning and intra-state transmission infrastructure development, advising the state government to address pending issues and ensure that capacity additions keep pace with growing electricity demand.

Progress under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana was also reviewed. The state was asked to prepare a focused action plan to increase consumer enrolment under the scheme, which aims to reduce electricity costs for households through rooftop solar installations.

Manohar Lal observed that sustained efforts in improving operational efficiency and financial discipline would help make Haryana’s DISCOMs financially viable and the state’s power sector self-sufficient. He assured continued support and cooperation from the Government of India for the overall development of the state's power sector.

Anil Vij assured the Union Minister that Haryana would take all necessary measures for timely implementation of sanctioned projects and initiatives aimed at improving the overall performance of the state's power sector.

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