The Hynñiewtrep Youths Council (HYC) was informed today by the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (MePDCL) that Rs 78 crore out of the Rs 232 crore smart meter project in the state is for the software to run the machines.
That represents more than one-third of the total cost of the project.
The HYC has been questioning why the project to install smart meters that are connected to the internet and telecommunication system comes with a whopping Rs 232 crore price tag.
The pressure group was only partially satisfied by Power Minister and Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong’s recent explanation that accounted for Rs 119 crore (the cost of the meters) of the project but still left another Rs 113 crore unaccounted for.
Apart from the software, another Rs 22 crore is for a two-year deal to operate and maintain the smart meters.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the MePDCL officials, including the Director of Distribution, the HYC leaders said that they were told that the reason for the massive project cost is because the installation of the smart meters is done through new technology and software.
“They showed us that the expenditure through the new technology that the MePDCL have used to make functional the 2 lakh smart meters is Rs 78 crore only for the software and Rs 22 crore for operation and maintenance cost of the smart meters by the company for a period of two years,” the HYC said.
“Now that the officials have clarified to us about this project cost, it remains to be seen how fruitful this project will be and how effectively this smart meter project works in our state because if it fails then it will be a great waste of the public money,” the pressure group leaders added while opining that the smart meters should have first been introduced as a pilot project to understand their feasibility.
