PANAJI
The Electricity Department on Tuesday informed the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) that a dedicated mobile application for smart meter consumers is in the final stage of testing and is expected to be launched within 7-10 days.
Officials, in their submission to the Commission, explained that the app is designed to give consumers real-time access to electricity usage data. “It will allow users to track power consumption, voltage levels, billing details and other related information through a single interface. The application is being developed and will be managed by the department’s in-house IT team. Once testing is completed, it will be rolled out across the state,” it said.
The department further stated that the system has been designed with safeguards and is expected to operate without major technical errors. It maintained that the rollout will improve transparency and give consumers better control over usage patterns.
The hearing comes amid ongoing debate of the Rs 900-crore smart meter project, which has seen public resistance and political debate in several parts of the State.
Despite the backlash, the State government has continued with the rollout. Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar has maintained that smart meters are part of a wider modernisation drive aimed at improving efficiency and reducing losses. In May, the GHRC took suo motu cognisance of the matter, observing that the mandatory installation of smart meters prima facie raised human rights concerns.
