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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid protests against smart meters and ‘exorbitant' bills, Tripura power agency asked to explain ‘consistent underbilling'
Amid statewide protests against smart meters and allegations of exorbitant power bills, Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) has served a showcause notice to TDS Management Consultants Pvt Ltd, accusing it of submitting average bills for consumers who have functional meters, causing losses to the corporation. In the letter written to the power distribution agency on Tuesday, R K Roy, DGM (Revenue), TSECL, stated that meter readers in the Khowai Electrical subdivision were found to have submitted average consumption data for several consumers who have functional meters capable of recording consumption. The official further stated that the comparative billing data showed 'consistent underbilling, which has caused a direct financial loss to Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL)'. 'This act violates the contractual agreement and demonstrates either gross negligence or deliberate misconduct by your meter readers, specifically of that particular area. As per the agreement, it is required to: Record actual meter readings from functional meters without fail, Avoid average billing unless supported by valid justification ( meter defect/inaccessibility), Ensure no action results in loss of revenue to TSECL,' reads the letter. 'You are hereby directed to show cause within 7 (seven) days from the date of receipt of this notice, stating why penal action should not be taken against you under the provisions of the contract Agreement. In case of failure to provide a satisfactory reply within the stipulated time, appropriate action shall be taken without any further correspondence,' the letter continued. The state has recently witnessed protests by Opposition political parties against the government's decision to install smart electric meters and hike power tariffs. Speaking during a protest, a Congress leader said, 'The power tariff has been hiked without informing the people. We strongly condemn this and demand the withdrawal of the hike. Moreover, they have included a Rs 30 road tax in the name of CNG and PNG. Their party is opposing smart meters in West Bengal, but in Tripura the power minister is in favour of smart meters.' The Trinamool Congress protested in front of Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath's home, demanding that both decisions be withdrawn. 'We will continue our protest till he withdraws these,' a TMC leader said. Raising the same demand, the CPM protested in front of Udaipur Bidyut Bhawan Nath later said that consumers would be able to keep both meters–their current electronic meters and the new smart meters. 'If anyone can prove any fault in smart meters, the government will roll back the decision to install them,' he said. 'There has been an attempt to confuse people. The power tariff and smart meter are two separate things. In the seven years (since 2018), the power tariff was hiked by 24.9 per cent under the BJP government, while the tariff rose by 116.03 per cent in seven years under CPM rule,' the power minister said.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Opposition parties hit the streets in Tripura over state government's decision to install smart meters, hike power tariff
Various Opposition parties in Tripura Monday protested against the state government's recent decision to install smart electric meters and hike power tariffs. The Congress organised a protest outside a Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) office in Agartala. Addressing the rally, a Congress leader said, 'The power tariff has been hiked without informing the people. We strongly condemn this and demand the withdrawal of the hike in power tariff… In West Bengal, their party is opposing the installation of smart meters, but in Tripura, the power minister is in favour of the installation of smart meters.' The Congress also organised similar protests over the issue in Unakoti, North Tripura, and Gomati districts. 'In Tripura, people want to know how much commission did (the BJP) get for introducing the smart meter. We demand that the installation be stopped immediately and the hike in tariff be withdrawn for the sake of poor people. There is no food, work here but the government, for the sake of a section of people, is trying to put the burden on the poor people,' said a Congress leader of Pabiacherra Block in Unakoti district. Another Congress leader in Kailasahar said the BJP had assured of fulfilling over 300 promises in their 'Vision Document' before coming to power. He claimed that the BJP said it would introduce a reasonable power tariff. 'After the BJP came to power, the power services are in a miserable condition in Kailasahar. On top of this, the BJP-led state government has decided to install smart meters. Why can the double-engine government not control power tariffs?' he added. Likewise, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) organised a protest in front of Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath's residence in Agartala, demanding the withdrawal of the power tariff and rollback of the decision to install smart meters. 'We have organised a sit-in in front of the power minister's residence and we shall continue our protest till he withdraws the decisions,' a TMC leader said. Meanwhile, the primary Opposition party, CPI(M), also protested in front of the Udaipur Bidyut Bhawan. 'We demand the state to stop the installation of smart meters and roll back the hike in power tariffs,' said a CPI(M) leader. Reacting to the protests, Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said, 'There has been an attempt to confuse people. The power tariff and the smart meter are two separate things. In the last seven years of BJP rule, the power tariff has been hiked by 24.9 per cent, while the tariff rose by 116.03 per cent during the last seven years of the erstwhile CPI(M) government.' 'Earlier, power services were directly under the state power department, but the Left Front government formed the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited in 2004,' he added. The minister said power consumers can keep both meters – the existing electronic meters and the new smart meters – if they have doubts about the smart meters. If any fault were to be detected in smart meters, the government will roll back the decision to install them, he added.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tripura to set up fruit processing unit in Dhalai dist
Agartala: Tripura govt is planning to set up a new fruit processing centre under the PPP model in Nalkata under Dhalai district to boost the income of pineapple cultivators, reports Biswendu Bhattacharjee. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Agriculture and farmers' welfare minister Ratan Lal Nath on Saturday said in the past seven years, the department has exported 73.15 MT of pineapples to Dubai, Oman and Qatar while addressing the Pineapple Festival in Kumarghat of Unakoti district. Nath also said state govt is working to obtain the GI tag for Sidol Shutki (fermented fish), Sabri banana, and several other products. He said in Tripura, 1.46 lakh acres are used for fruit cultivation, of which 29000 acres was used for pineapple.
Hindustan Times
12-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Tripura planning to revive pineapple processing unit on PPP model: Minister
Agartala, Tripura's Agriculture & Farmer Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Saturday said the government is contemplating reviving a dormant pineapple juice factory in North Tripura's Nalkata based on a public-private partnership model. Tripura planning to revive pineapple processing unit on PPP model: Minister The minister announced this while addressing a pineapple festival at Kumarghat in Unakoti district. The North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd , a central government enterprise, used to operate the food-processing unit till the nineties. Pineapples, especially the Kew variety, are mostly grown in three districts of the northeastern state - North, Unakoti and Dhalai. "If the project is implemented, the pineapple growers will benefit greatly. The present government wants to increase the income of farmers to boost the state's economy," he said. In the northeastern state, pineapples are grown in 74,000 kani. In Tripura, one kani is a traditional land measurement unit, roughly equivalent to 20,000 square feet. The queen variety, which has already got the GI tag, is cultivated in 22,000 'kani' of land, while the Kew variety is grown in the remaining portion. Nath said DoNER Minister Jyotirditya Scindia has pushed a Rs. 132 crore project to promote the queen variety of pineapple globally because of its taste and food value. "Out of nine species of pineapples grown in the country, queen pineapple is the best in terms of food value and taste. Pineapple has already been declared as the state fruit," he said. Nath said the northeastern state has exported a total of 73.15 MT of pineapples to countries such as Dubai, Qatar and Oman during the last seven years. The minister added that the government is also planning to provide additional financial support to the farmers who practice organic farming. "We are mulling over supporting the farmers who are practising organic and natural farming like PM Kishan Yojana," he said. Under the PM-Kisan scheme, each registered farmer receives ₹6,000 in a year in three instalments. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tripura's organic produce attracts West Asia entrepreneurs
1 2 Agartala: A number of enterprises from West Asian countries expressed their interest to develop the business of organic agriculture and horticulture produce with Tripura, besides Indian export companies, said agriculture and farmers welfare minister Ratan Lal Nath here on Wednesday. Nath said the Tripura State Organic Farming Development Agency with the support of Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region hosted the first-ever state-level organic buyer-seller conference to strengthen the organic farming in Tripura where 22 buyers, including three from West Asia, attended. Around 100 organic farmers from different parts of the state, along with farmers' producer companies and value-adding enterprises participated in the event. While farmers exhibited the fresh organic agriculture produce, forward marketing companies demonstrated Tripura produced jackfruit and pineapple which grabbed the attention of the export companies. The minister requested the companies to invest in fruit processing and value addition activities of horticulture products of Tripura. Around 22,000 hectares of farming land have already been brought under organic cultivation and govt has been extending all support to the promotion of the organic produce. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola "This pioneering initiative was to serve as a turning point in Tripura's journey to becoming a hub for organic produce. It brought together reputed organic buyers from across India and abroad, offering them a unique opportunity to directly engage with organic Farmer Producer Companies of Tripura," Nath said. The event showcased Tripura's premium organic produce, including the celebrated Queen and Kew pineapples, aromatic rice varieties like Kalikhasa and Harinarayan, the rare Black Rice (Maimi Hangar), Sticky Rice (Biran), Bird Eye Chilli, fragrant lemon (Gandharaj), along with sesame, ginger, turmeric, foxtail millet, and several other certified organic crops.
