A large-scale protest march against the Smart Meter Scheme was held in Nagpur on Thursday, jointly organised by the Vidarbha State Agitation Committee and the Congress Party. The demonstrators demanded the immediate withdrawal of the proposed smart electricity meter project, alleging that it would adversely impact consumers.
The rally saw participation from a large number of citizens, Congress workers and electricity consumers, who voiced strong opposition to the installation of smart meters. Protesters claimed that the scheme would increase the financial burden on consumers and urged the government to scrap the project without delay.
The march commenced from Sadar Mangalwari Market and passed through several parts of the city before concluding at Vidyut Bhavan, the headquarters of the Electricity Department. Participants carried banners and placards while raising slogans against the Smart Meter Scheme.
Leaders of the Vidarbha State Agitation Committee and the Congress Party argued that replacing existing digital electricity meters with smart meters was an unnecessary expenditure being imposed on the public. They also expressed concerns over the proposed prepaid billing system, stating that it could create difficulties for consumers, particularly those from low-income households.
During the protest, a memorandum outlining the demands was submitted to the authorities. The organisers warned that the agitation would be intensified if the government failed to roll back the Smart Meter Scheme.
Protest leaders described the project as anti-consumer and called upon the government to immediately halt its implementation in order to protect the interests of electricity users across the state.
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