# Power ministry asks states to speed up smart meter installation 2026-08-13T05:42:59+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The power ministry has directed states to accelerate smart meter installation, saying the mandatory rollout is not linked to prepaid or postpaid billing. Of 20.3 crore meters approved under RDSS since July 2021, only 5.7 crore were installed by June 30, though total functional meters exceed 7.2 crore. The initial March 2026 deadline was extended by two years. The ministry said smart meters enable transparent billing and time-of-day tariffs to reduce bills, while utilities benefit from operational efficiency. Most states use postpaid billing; Uttar Pradesh scrapped prepaid after complaints. The ministry reiterated installation is mandatory regardless of billing mode. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: electricity distribution, Power ministry, prepaid billing, RDSS, smart meters, states Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/power-ministry-asks-states-to-speed-up-smart-meter-installation/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/power-ministry-asks-states-to-speed-up-smart-meter-installation/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.