Panaji: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar has strongly criticized the BJP Government for its mishandling of the smart meter rollout and the imposition of penalties on electricity consumers over sanctioned load issues, stating that the Government’s sudden reversal following widespread public outrage exposes the flawed and anti-consumer nature of the entire exercise.
Reacting to the Government’s decision to halt the smart meter implementation process and withdraw penalties imposed on consumers who had not applied for the enhancement of their electricity load, Chodankar said that the episode raises a fundamental question: “Is the Government meant to serve the people, or are the people expected to serve the Government?”
He pointed out that if the Electricity Department had already identified consumers whose sanctioned load was inadequate, it was the responsibility of the Department to proactively communicate with such consumers and facilitate the necessary revisions through a transparent and consumer-friendly mechanism.
“The Government has access to every consumer’s address, mobile number, and billing records. Why were individual notices not issued? Why was the burden shifted entirely onto ordinary citizens, and penalties imposed for alleged non-compliance? Such an approach reflects administrative failure and insensitivity towards consumers,” Chodankar said.
The GPCC President further questioned the intent behind the entire exercise, asking whether it was genuinely aimed at improving electricity services or merely designed to generate additional revenue from Goans.
“At a time when the Government is spending heavily on publicity campaigns, events, and image-building exercises, people have every right to ask whether these penalties were intended to fill the Government’s coffers at the expense of consumers,” he remarked.
Chodankar said that the public backlash and the Government’s subsequent retreat clearly demonstrate that citizens were neither adequately informed nor properly assisted during the implementation process.
He emphasized that modernization and technological upgrades should not become instruments for harassing consumers. Instead, the Government should ensure awareness, provide assistance, and create a seamless transition process that protects the interests of the public.
“The people of Goa deserve transparency, accountability, and governance that prioritizes public welfare over bureaucratic convenience. Protecting consumers and ensuring a smooth transition was the Government’s responsibility. Governance should be about facilitating solutions, not creating hardships for the very people it is meant to serve,” Chodankar asserted.
The GPCC President demanded a comprehensive review of the entire smart meter and sanctioned load implementation process and urged the Government to adopt a consumer-centric approach in all future public utility initiatives.
