Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal Reviews Karnataka’s Power Sector, Urges Financial Reforms and Faster Smart Meter Rollout – EQ
In Short : Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, reviewing Karnataka’s power sector in Bengaluru, urged faster financial reforms and accelerated smart meter rollout. He directed prepaid smart meters in all government buildings by August 2025 and stressed timely dues clearance, cost-reflective tariffs, and resolving transmission issues. The Centre pledged support to boost Karnataka’s power infrastructure and renewable energy efforts.
In Detail : Shri Manohar Lal Calls for Timely Dues Clearance and Resolution of Transmission Bottlenecks in Karnataka
Hon’ble Union Minister of Power, Shri Manohar Lal, conducted a comprehensive review of the power sector in the State of Karnataka today in Bengaluru. The review meeting was attended by Shri Shripad Naik, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy; Shri K. J. George, Hon’ble Minister of Energy, Karnataka; and senior officials from the Government of India, the State Government, and REC Ltd.
During the meeting, the State Government made a detailed presentation on the current status of power generation, transmission, and distribution in Karnataka. Issues such as the generation mix, challenges in Right of Way (RoW) for transmission infrastructure, and the need for support in improving distribution infrastructure were discussed.
Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal congratulated the State for its increasing share of renewable energy in the power mix. He emphasized that the visit aimed at better understanding of the ground-level issues and exploring new initiatives to strengthen power supply in the State.
The Hon’ble Minister urged the State to take steps to reduce annual financial losses of its power utilities and work towards implementing cost-reflective tariffs. He underlined the importance of timely clearance of dues and subsidies related to Government departments and advised the State to saturate prepaid smart meters across all Government establishments, including local bodies and colonies, by August 2025. He also emphasized the need for a centralized payment mechanism for efficient management of Government electricity dues.
Shri Manohar Lal further directed the State to expedite the rollout of smart metering for commercial, industrial, and other consumer categories in a time-bound manner. He advised early resolution of RoW issues impeding transmission infrastructure and called for the adoption of the compensation mechanism issued by the Government of India.
The Union Minister assured continued support from the Government of India for strengthening the power sector in Karnataka and reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to the welfare and development of the State and its people.
