Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has launched Phase I of the MMSBY Smart Meter Installation Scheme for consumers with up to 2 kW contract demand.
According to Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary of the Energy Department, the initiative aims to benefit residential and small commercial consumers by providing 100% government funding for new connections and replacement of old meters. Consumers under this category will no longer pay meter rent, ensuring zero additional cost.
The government has allocated a one-time grant of Rs 735 crore for the financial year 2025-26. Of this, Rs 428 crore will be used to install around 2.78 lakh new meters and replace 8.75 lakh existing ones, while Rs 307 crore will cover the unrecovered cost of previously installed smart meters.
The scheme is expected to improve billing efficiency, reduce losses, minimise consumer complaints, and enable better power system planning through real-time data. It will also support integration with rooftop solar and renewable energy programs such as PM-KUSUM and PM-Surya Ghar.
While the smart meters will remain the property of the Energy Department, state DISCOMs will operate and maintain them. Revenue from scrapped meters will be recorded as Non-Tariff Income, and DISCOMs must submit utilisation certificates to ensure transparency in fund usage.
