Islamabad:
“ Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially launched the “APNA Meter, Apna Lecty” Smart Mobile Application on Sunday, a new initiative designed to improve the transparency of electricity billing. The application allows consumers to record their own meter readings and to subject them directly to their respective electricity distribution companies.
“We have implemented reforms in the electricity sector, but we have a long way to go. We have brought nominations based on merit to disco advice and took good measures against the corrupt mafia,” he said.
The Prime Minister made these remarks during a ceremony to launch the application “Apna Meter, Apna Reading”.
The initiative aims to gradually eliminate the role of meter readers in electricity distribution companies (DISCO) nationally, addressing generalized dissatisfaction among consumers. As part of the current pro rata system, many consumers are moved from the “protected category” or have been moved to higher billing slabs, resulting in an increase in electricity costs.
The Prime Minister argued that the initiative is a revolutionary stage undertaken by the government in the context of power reforms in the past year.
He noted that the Minister of Energy had made strict efforts and organized difficult negotiations with independent electricity producers (PPI) who finally led to a reduction in electricity prices of 7.5 rupees per unit.
“We set the circular debt after negotiations with banks. When world oil prices decreased, we took advantage and reduced electricity prices,” he said, adding that despite concerns, the government has made the decision difficult to reprimand prices and not adopting the burden on consumers.
The Prime Minister announced that Pakistani television costs (PTV) will be abolished by electricity bills. Consumers are currently charged with RS35 monthly PTV costs through electricity bills.
He noted that the biggest challenge was the flight of power worth 500 billion rupees per year, and efforts are made to slow down the threat.
He stressed that the government will not discourage solar energy because it is the cheapest form of electricity. “Pakistan is one of the countries with the greatest growth in solar energy production,” he said.
The Prime Minister observed that the main beneficiary of this application will be electricity consumers. “This is revolutionary technology, it will benefit each consumer in each house”, adding that the power division should raise awareness among consumers to use the application, which has been introduced in five languages.
The Federal Minister of Energy Awais Ahmed Leghari also spoke on this occasion and said that the initiative aims to give responsibility for the counter reader to consumers.
He pointed out that electricity consumers in the “protected category” consuming less than 100 units have received higher invoices due to delayed or defective reading of the counter. He said the government had made RS10 billion rupees on exaggerated amounts last year and efforts are made to ensure the transparency of the billing process.
In a press release earlier, the power division said that the new feature allows electricity consumers to take a photo of their electricity meter on a specified date and download it to the application, according to which their monthly invoice will be issued.
The objective of this system is to provide an effective solution to long -standing problems such as overcharging, reading errors and late in reading.
“It is not only a technological characteristic but a concrete reform of governance, which really makes consumers. With this system, consumers will not only be able to keep track of their bills, but now they will also be the guards of the reading process,” he added.
If the user provides reading on the deadline, reading the counter taken after this day will not be a priority, and only the reading provided by the user will be fed.
