Photo Courtesy: tripuratimes
Agartala: Tripura Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said the state government plays no part in setting power rates. The Tripura Electricity Regulatory Commission manages tariff determination independently. This system has operated since 2008.
Consumers are frustrated. The state currently serves 10.68 lakh users. About 4 lakh homes use smart meters, and 1.64 lakh households rely on prepaid meters. Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha recently held a meeting to address the rising bill complaints.
Nath flagged massive audit failures from the previous administration. In 2015, the state issued a work order worth Rs 80.07 crore for smart meter installations. The project missed its two-year completion deadline. According to a Comptroller and Auditor General report covering March 2015 to June 2022, none of those meters work today. The Indian Audit and Accounts Department found financial irregularities that caused Rs 42.76 crore in wasted spending.
Nath called out the opposition for recent criticism. He said, “In 2015, they had given a work order of Rs 80 crore 7 lakh 68 thousand to Wipro and M/s J and J Powercom System Limited.” He noted that while Wipro took control, technical glitches killed the system shortly after launch.
The government is acting fast. Officials must stop collecting payments on all abnormally high bills issued since May. This moratorium stays in place until investigators finish their work. “The government cannot be a silent spectator. Soon, we will sit again to solve the problem and see how to help the consumers,” Nath said.
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