Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that just as people pay their mobile bills on time, they should also be encouraged to do the same with their electricity bills.

To achieve this, he urged the power department to establish a robust mechanism. CM Yogi also stressed the importance of installing smart metres across the state, highlighting that the public should be prepared for this transition as smart metres are essential for modern needs.

Chairing a crucial meeting of the energy department here on Saturday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the department’s presentation and emphasised the importance of raising public awareness about the timely payment of electricity bills.

The Chief Minister directed that electricity bills should reach every consumer’s home on time and without any errors. It is crucial to hold metre readers accountable for this.

The Chief Minister emphasised the need to educate consumers about the One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme so they are fully aware of the options available for settling outstanding electricity bills.

The CM insisted that consumers should not be harassed over electricity bills under any circumstances. He noted that while the first five years were focused on developing infrastructure, the emphasis must now shift to maintaining quality.

He emphasised that if power is cut due to maintenance, consumers must be given prior notice about when and for how long the power supply will be disrupted. He advised using social media extensively for this purpose.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that there has been an increase in the hours of power supply in the state. Despite the intense heat and except for minor local faults, the government has effectively ensured uninterrupted 24-hour power supply since March 15, with no electricity shortages reported anywhere in the state.

According to the officials, there are 3.45 crore electricity connections in the state, with an increase of 30 lakh connections over the past two years. They reported that as of 2024, the revenue generated amounts to Rs 70,000 crores, marking a 17 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

Around 40 per cent of electricity bills are received online, 32 per cent are paid at counters, and 30 per cent are processed through various e-wallets.

Online services have been strengthened to include facilities such as increasing load capacity and updating personal details like name and address through the app. Additionally, an average of 7 SMS reminders are sent each month to prompt payment of electricity bills.

Officials highlighted that the average electricity demand has surged during April, May, and June in the state. On normal summer days, the demand ranges between 27,000 to 28,000 MW, whereas during intense heat, it has peaked to 33,000 to 35,000 MW. It is anticipated to decrease following the onset of the monsoon season.

The CM was told that the installation of 10 units of 5,255 MW new power generation units in the state is progressing rapidly. Work is also going on on three big projects of 5,120 MW, Obra D, Anpara E, and Meja II.

Furthermore, efforts have been made to minimise transmission losses of electricity in the state to 3 per cent, achieving a considerable reduction.

Additionally, as part of the first phase of the Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Project, one crore solar rooftops are planned nationwide, with 25 lakh in Uttar Pradesh alone. For this, 16.97 lakh registrations have been completed.

The Chief Minister emphasised the need for expeditious implementation of the PM Surya Ghar Yojana.