T.N. government’s decision to shelve smart meters project a grave mistake: BJP

The Tamil Nadu government’s reported decision to shelve the ‘smart meters” (electricity) project with immediate effect would be a grave mistake, BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said on Sunday (June 7, 2026). If this was true, Mr. Thirupathy said, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay must understand scrapping one of the largest and most significant reforms currently underway in India’s power sector would be a grave mistake.

“It risks pushing the already loss-making Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) into even deeper financial losses.This project, designed under the Central government’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), will pave the way for the State’s progress in the power sector. By providing accurate metering and billing at every connection, it will greatly benefit the public while correcting various technical and commercial losses of the government and steadily increasing the revenue of the power distribution company.”

The government’s claim that this project required a massive one-time investment was far from the truth, Mr. Thirupathy contended. Smart meters would create a robust infrastructure fully supported by loans and grants from Central government agencies, along with private capital, he said. “This is a crucial initiative for the future.

This state-of-the-art advanced technology-driven project, which can eliminate administrative losses and ensure quality power supply to meet people’s needs, was delayed two years ago by the then DMK government for political reasons as the companies bidding for the project refused to provide the ‘commission’ (bribe) demanded by them.”

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Then the DMK government cited high costs and shelved the entire project, Mr. Thirupathy said: “If the current TVK government follows the same path, it will be a huge blunder. TN CM must understand if this project is abandoned, Tamil Nadu will lose approximately ₹5,000 crore of central government financial concessions and grants being provided for loss-reduction measures under various schemes. Energy Minister R. Nirmalkumar should inquire with the officials, understand the facts, and speak responsibly, the BJP spokesperson said.

Acting impulsively with a lacklustre attitude would cause massive losses to Tamil Nadu and hinder the State’s development, he said. “The Chief Minister and the Minister concerned must carefully examine this. The Tamil Nadu government must recognise and realise that halting or delaying the smart meter project — the power ministry’s biggest initiative — is improper. I urge the Tamil Nadu government to immediately take all necessary steps to implement this project swiftly.”