Letter by Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation to the Chief Minister & Energy Minister
Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation
(Translation of letter in Marathi))
Date: 13.01.25
To,
Hon’ble Devendra Fadnavis
Chief Minister and Energy Minister
Government of Maharashtra, Mantralaya,
Mumbai
Camp Nagpur
Hon’ble Abha Shukla Madam
Principal Secretary (Energy)
Government of Maharashtra, Mantralaya,
Mumbai
Subject: Opposition to smart meter policy – Notice of agitation
Sir,
On 25 August 2022, the government of Maharashtra decided to install 2 crore 25 lakh 65 thousand smart meters in the state. According to this decision, the government is going to spend Rs. 39,602 crores. Based on the government’s decision, the Mahavitaran company gave letters of approval to four suppliers on 7 August 2023. Tenders of Rs. 7594 crores 45 lakhs have been approved for Adani Rs. 3330 crores 53 lakhs, for NCC Rs. 3635 crores 53 lakhs, for Montecarlo, and Rs. 2607 crores 61 lakhs and for Genus Co. Of these four, except for Genus and Adani, the other two companies have no experience in the smart meters business. The four capitalist companies will be given Rs. 26923 crores 46 lakhs and will install 2 crore 24 lakhs 61 thousand 346 smart meters.
This clearly shows that Adani, Montecarlo, Nagarjun Construction Company (NCC) are all going to buy meters from contractors or assemble individual parts imported in bulk from China. Alternatively, they may outsource or subcontract the work to domestic meter manufacturers like L&T, Secular, and HPL and install smart meters in their own name. It is clear that under the name of installing and maintaining smart meters for Mahavitaran consumers, these contractors will wield control over this sector for the next 83 to 93 months.
The Workers’ Federation has no doubt that the policy of prepaid smart meters is a smart step towards the privatisation of Maharashtra’s energy sector. This decision has been taken to weaken Mahavitaran economically by taking over power supply and bill collection through smart meter installation for 93 months as per the contract. Then, gradually, by allowing parallel licensing after 93 months, the plan is to take control over the electricity distribution sector and shut down the Mahavitaran company.
The smart meter policy is a way for Adani and capitalist companies to take control of the sector and is related to the capitalist companies in the electricity generation sector. Of Maharashtra’s total demand of 28,000 MW of electricity, 65% is fulfilled by private generation companies. The Mahavitaran company pays the cost of this supplied electricity not immediately but over two to three months. However, these private companies want immediate payment for the supplied electricity. These companies are the ones who suggested the smart meter policy to the government and forced its implementation so that they can secure advance bill payments through smart meters.
Moreover, Adani-Reliance are also entering the electricity transmission sector. Corporate houses are planning to take control of all three sectors: generation, distribution, and transmission. All these efforts are aimed at using Maharashtra’s energy industry for the experiment of privatisation.
As the smart meter policy will lead to the privatisation of the areas in which Mahavitaran is operational, the Maharashtra State Electricity Workers’ Federation strongly opposes this policy. It wholeheartedly supports the agitations organized by consumer struggle committees against smart meters. The MSEWF had opposed this policy and had started organizing gate meetings, morchas, demonstrations, and publicity campaigns across the state before the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.
Against the backdrop of this agitation, then Energy Minister and current Chief Minister had announced in the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha in Mumbai on 3 July 2024 that prepaid smart meters will not be installed for the 2 crore 25 lakh power consumers in the state. Despite this clear statement, the Mahavitaran administration is installing smart meters in certain districts, violating the Energy Minister’s promise (or with mutual agreement) after Vidhan Sabha elections. This is being strongly opposed.
The Workers’ Federation strongly opposes the actions of the Mahavitaran administration and supports the struggle committees against smart meters established by citizens, electricity consumers and their organizations, workers’ organizations, office bearers of opposition parties, and social organizations. The Federation asks all electricity workers to participate in joint agitations taking place across the state.
The tender given by Mahavitaran administration to private companies for prepaid smart meter installation should be scrapped. The Workers’ Federation demands that this policy should be withdrawn.
Yours sincerely,
Mohan Sharma, President Krushna Bhoyar, General Secretary
Copy to:
- President and Managing Director, Mahavitaran, Prakashgad, 6th floor, Bandra, Mumbai, for information and appropriate action
- Central and circle-level office bearers of MSEWF, for appropriate action
- Representatives of all newspapers in Maharashtra, for information and publication