By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has announced plans to protest against the installation of smart meters in Bihar starting from 1st October. However, the Bihar Energy Minister Bijendra Yadav, strongly defended the initiative in a press conference on Thursday, stating that the installation of smart meters has been beneficial for the public. He highlighted that smart meters have already been installed in the homes of 5 million people across Bihar, and no significant protests have been reported.
Yadav accused the RJD of politicising the smart meter issue, asserting that the initiative would continue at the same pace, with a target to complete the installation by 2025 as per Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s instructions. He further claimed that RJD state president Jagadanand Singh has three smart meters installed in his house, and the bills from these meters are lower than previous ones, contradicting the RJD’s stance on discrepancies in billing.
“The people of RJD should explain why there was no electricity in every household before 2016,” Yadav remarked, adding that the RJD’s campaign against corruption is undermined by its own record while in power.
The Energy Minister emphasised that Bihar is leading the way in smart meter installations, with officials from other states praising the work. He also pointed out that the central government has been providing continuous support, and the state is working in alignment with national energy policies.
When asked about potential protests and vandalism by RJD supporters, Yadav warned that legal action would be taken against those who damage or remove smart meters.
“The RJD’s opposition to smart meters is purely political,” Yadav reiterated, stating that the government’s efforts to improve electricity infrastructure in Bihar have been successful, with 8,000 MW of electricity currently being consumed in the state—a testament to the progress made.
