Munish Sood
Mandi
The Himachal Pradesh government has moved to address growing public concern over inflated electricity bills generated by smart meters, while also signalling stricter regulation of private school fee structures.
Responding to a joint query by MLAs Ashish Butail, Ram Kumar and Ajay Solanki in the Assembly, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured that cases of excessive billing linked to smart meters would be corrected promptly. He advised consumers facing such issues to approach the concerned Executive Engineer in their respective electricity divisions for immediate redressal.
Smart Meter Rollout Linked to Central Funding
Clarifying the state’s position, the Chief Minister said the installation of smart meters is being carried out under the Union Government’s power sector reform programme and is not entirely discretionary. He cautioned that failure to implement the scheme could lead to the suspension of substantial central financial assistance aimed at strengthening the power distribution network.
Under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), work on loss reduction and smart metering is currently in progress. Due to delays in certain areas, the deadline for completion has been extended till December.
Sukhu also pointed out that discrepancies in billing are, in part, attributable to malfunctioning old meters, leading to variations between previous and updated readings.
Government Eyes Regulatory Framework for Private Schools
On the issue of rising private school fees, Education Minister Rohit Thakur informed the House that the government is considering amendments to existing rules under the Right to Education (RTE) Act to ensure greater regulation and transparency in fee structures.
He stated that models from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are being studied, where stricter regulatory mechanisms are already in place. The move comes in response to increasing complaints from parents across the state regarding arbitrary fee hikes by private institutions.
Ramshahr College Nears Completion, Enrollment Remains Low
In a separate reply to MLA Hardeep Singh Bawa, the Education Minister said that 69 per cent construction of the Ramshahr College building has been completed. The remaining work, estimated at ₹6.62 crore, is expected to be taken up soon.
However, he expressed concern over low student enrollment, noting that fewer than 75 students are currently studying at the institution despite significant public investment.
