Bihar Wins Gold at ET Government Digitech Awards 2025 for Smart Prepaid Metering

Bihar has been awarded the Gold Award for its smart prepaid metering technology at the ET Government Digitech Awards 2025, organised by The Economic Times in New Delhi.

The state’s special initiative, ‘Bihar ~ Proud Torch Bearer of Universal Smart Prepaid Metering for the Nation’ was awarded the Gold category in the Digital Transformation Leader in Public Sector by the jury. This achievement is a matter of pride for the state as it has set a new precedent in the field of smart prepaid metering. The award was received by Secretary, Energy Department and CMD BSPHCL Shri Pankaj Kumar Pal.

Shri Pal said that the aim of implementing smart prepaid metering across the state was to empower consumers, make the billing process transparent and make energy management more efficient. The success of this initiative was due to the extensive publicity and awareness campaign, under which consumers were made aware of the benefits of smart meters and were motivated to adopt it. Check meters were installed in rural areas so that consumers can come and check themselves that there is no difference between digital and smart meters. Smart prepaid meters are also being installed in all government buildings. Also, consumers were made aware through pamphlet distribution and mobile vans. Awareness campaigns were run in schools and colleges, Jeevika didis went door to door in villages to make people aware of the features of smart meters. People were told about the benefits of smart meters by setting up stalls in various cultural programs and fairs. From time to time they were also made aware of the measures to avoid cyber fraud.

The distribution companies tried to explain to the people through various mediums such as public awareness programs, digital platforms, local camps, street plays, social media and consumer dialogue campaigns that smart prepaid meters will help electricity consumers get rid of wrong billing, save energy and control their expenses. The result of these efforts is that today Bihar is leading the whole country in adopting smart metering.

The Energy Secretary said that this visionary initiative of smart prepaid metering is the result of the thinking and strong will of the Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar and the leadership of the Hon'ble Energy Minister Shri Bijendra Prasad Yadav. This scheme was started as a pilot project in Gaya district in the year 2019, so that consumers can get relief from the problem of wrong billing and a transparent record of electricity bill can be kept. In view of the success of the pilot project, it was implemented in the entire state, which is benefiting lakhs of consumers.

To understand the success of smart prepaid meters in the state, representatives from other states visited Bihar and interacted with consumers and engineers. Bihar has been praised from time to time by the Union Ministry of Energy for the success of smart meters.

Shri Pal expressed his gratitude to both the distribution companies, the team of NBPDCL and SBPDCL, consumers, metering agencies for this award.