Jammu, Mar 13: In response to a question raised by MLA Tanveer Sadiq regarding the issue of excessive electricity bills and the resulting financial strain on consumers, the government has categorically denied any such occurrences, stating that bills are being issued based on actual consumption and in line with the approved tariff orders.
The government clarified that for metered consumers, electricity bills are generated according to actual usage as per the tariff issued by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC). For un-metered or flat-rate consumers, the billing is done based on JERC-approved rates. It was further stated that any consumer grievances regarding billing are duly addressed on a case-by-case basis.
According to the government, around 60% of consumers in Jammu & Kashmir are currently metered, while the remaining 40% are on flat-rate billing, which contributes to high Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses. To address this, calibrated load rationalization is being undertaken in un-metered areas to ensure billing compliance as per the Electricity Supply Code.
In a major initiative towards billing accuracy, the government has been implementing the smart metering programme in “mission mode,” with approximately 7 lakh smart meters already installed out of a total consumer base of 22.4 lakh. The government aims to achieve 100% smart prepaid metering by the financial year 2025–26 under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). The introduction of smart meters, which provide accurate and real-time usage data, has significantly reduced the chances of billing errors.
Addressing concerns about non-payment due to economic uncertainty or sluggishness, the government stated that there is no evidence to support such a claim. It highlighted that Jammu & Kashmir continues to offer one of the lowest electricity tariff rates in the country and that billing and collection systems have improved notably. The AT&C losses have dropped from 62% in 2020–21 to 40% in 2023–24.
On the matter of outstanding dues and relief measures, the government pointed to the ongoing Amnesty Scheme launched in 2022 under Government Order No. 103-PDD of 2022. The scheme, active till March 31, 2025, offers waiver of interest and surcharges on overdue bills, provided that consumers pay their current bills regularly.
