Knews Desk-The political controversy regarding prepaid and smart electricity meters has intensified in Uttar Pradesh. Samajwadi Party chief and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has made serious allegations against the Yogi Adityanath government, saying that a “corruption racket” is being run in the name of power system in the state.
Akhilesh Yadav posted on social media platform He said that the government is misusing technology to “loot” the common people. According to him, the public is now raising their voice against this system and incidents of protest and vandalism of smart meters are also coming to light at many places.
In his statement, Akhilesh Yadav also said that “This time smart meters are being broken, next time EVMs…” which has started a heated debate in political circles. Regarding his statement, the round of allegations and counter-allegations between the ruling party and the opposition has intensified. The SP chief alleged that the system being implemented in the name of transparency in the power sector is actually putting additional economic pressure on the general public. He said that consumers have to pay first through prepaid meters, due to which the poor and middle class are being affected the most.
On the other hand, the state government says that the smart meter system is being implemented to make the electricity distribution system transparent and effective. According to the government, this will improve billing, prevent electricity theft and consumers will have to pay as per actual consumption. In his statement, Akhilesh Yadav did not limit the issue only to the electricity issue, but also highlighted the importance of Buddhism on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. He said that if the Samajwadi Party government is formed then Buddhist sites like Lumbini, Sarnath and Kushinagar will be extensively developed in Uttar Pradesh. Also, a promise was made to complete the long pending Maitreya Project.
Political analysts believe that the issue of smart meters and electricity bills is now becoming a big political topic in the state, which may become more intense in the coming times. While the opposition is calling it a burden on the public, the government is calling it a step towards reform and transparency. At present, this controversy has given rise to a new debate in the politics of Uttar Pradesh and the rhetoric on this issue is likely to intensify in the coming days.
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