Himachal Pradesh Government Tackles Smart Meter Billing Issues and Private School Fees
Addressing Public Concerns Over Electricity Bills
Munish Sood
Mandi
The government of Himachal Pradesh is taking steps to alleviate public worries regarding inflated electricity bills caused by smart meters. Additionally, it is signaling a move towards stricter oversight of private school fee structures.
Chief Minister's Assurance on Billing Issues
In response to a collective inquiry from MLAs Ashish Butail, Ram Kumar, and Ajay Solanki during the Assembly session, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured that any instances of excessive billing related to smart meters would be addressed swiftly. He encouraged consumers experiencing such problems to contact the relevant Executive Engineer in their electricity divisions for prompt resolution.
Smart Meter Implementation Linked to Central Funding
The Chief Minister clarified that the rollout of smart meters is part of the Union Government's power sector reform initiative and is not solely at the state's discretion. He warned that failing to implement this scheme could jeopardize significant central funding intended to enhance the power distribution system.
Currently, efforts to reduce losses and implement smart metering are underway under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). Due to delays in some regions, the completion deadline has been extended to December.
Sukhu also noted that some billing discrepancies stem from malfunctioning older meters, which can cause inconsistencies between previous and current readings.
Regulatory Framework for Private School Fees
Regarding the rising fees in private schools, Education Minister Rohit Thakur informed the Assembly that the government is contemplating amendments to the existing regulations under the Right to Education (RTE) Act to enhance regulation and transparency in fee structures.
He mentioned that the government is examining models from states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, where stricter regulatory frameworks are already established. This initiative is a response to the growing number of complaints from parents about arbitrary fee increases by private schools.
Ramshahr College Construction Progress and Enrollment Concerns
In a separate response to MLA Hardeep Singh Bawa, the Education Minister reported that 69% of the construction of the Ramshahr College building has been completed. The remaining work, estimated to cost ₹6.62 crore, is expected to commence shortly.
However, he expressed concern regarding low student enrollment, revealing that fewer than 75 students are currently enrolled at the college despite significant public investment.