India's smart meter plan hit by infrastructure, says Awareness Hurdles, says CII Survey

New -delhi: India’s acceptance of smart meters for electricity consumption was slow, which is asked to ask for clearer rules and better consumer involvement, is evident from a survey by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). As on July 15, only 2.41 crore units across the country of the 20.33 crore were installed under the renovated distribution sector scheme (RDSS), according to the data of the ministry. The recent survey of the CII shows that outdated utility infrastructure, unreliable connectivity and low consumer awareness were the biggest barriers to smart measurement. While 80% of respondents mention consumer involvement as the most important obstacle, most also agreed that clear regulatory guidelines, better transparency of the invoice, grievance and robust cyber security will be critical to success. Smart meters provide real -time analysis on consumer behavior and enable the plugin of leaks and theft. They also do the inefficiency in manual data collection, and help reduce revenue losses for distribution companies. The findings of the CII survey are based on the answers received from a poll conducted over the past two months among the participants in the 3rd CII Smart Meter Conference. The poll explores different aspects of smart meter projects, infrastructure, challenges, consumer awareness, security and potential improvements. Suket Singhal, CEO of the group, Secure Meters, who also led CII Taskforce on Smart Metering in FY25, said: ‘The most important outcome of this poll was the need to improve consumer involvement. By ensuring that the experience of prepayment in electricity is equal than to deliver on his promise or DTH. ‘ Once consumers are adequately trained, they will remain engaged, and at the level of grassroots politics will become renovated distribution sector scheme (RDSS) acceptable, Singhal added. Most people who participated in the survey said that the current state of smart measuring infrastructure was on average, 41% respondents have a positive view. The most important challenges identified include outdated utility infrastructure leading to interoperability and data management issues, unreliable connectivity in remote areas, regulatory barriers, sluggish and cumbersome procurement process, and low levels of awareness and privacy issues, which necessitated focus and awareness efforts. “What consumers ask for is a better experience, which can be provided by ensuring that everyone pays what they can, when they can,” Singhal said. The need to fully disappear cyber -to -doness has been identified as a key pillar to provide the stakeholders with confidence. All systems must be designed for security and must have sufficient processes to ensure that security and privacy of the data remains strong, he added. Almost 57% of respondents noted that the most common challenge facing the implementation of smart meters was the problem of aligning them with outdated utility infrastructure, which led to interoperability and data management problems. The second biggest challenge was unreliable connectivity, especially in remote areas that impede real-time data transfer, affecting total system efficiency, 53% of respondents said. About 48% of them noted that a significant obstacle is driven by low awareness, misconceptions about invoice and privacy issues. Complex and fragmented regulatory frameworks that led to delays in the approval of the project and the implementation of the project and the slow cumbersome procurement processes were seen by 20% of respondents as a concern. The analysis revealed that the primary challenges for smart measurement are about technical integration, data communication and consumer acceptance. The frequency of each challenge indicates its relative importance and appearance, the CII report says. Integration with legacy systems and data communication problems are the most urgent problems, suggesting that a need for better planning and infrastructure is needed. To address these challenges, a versatile approach is needed, including robust technical solutions to integration and communication, public awareness campaigns to address consumer resistance, and streamlined regulatory processes to avoid delays, it states. About 80% of respondents believe that consumer awareness is a significant obstacle to smart meter adoption, while 63% regard the system as safe or very safe, indicating a generally positive perception of cyber security readiness. The report noted that this optimism has increasing confidence in technological precautions, such as coding protocols, safe practices for data and access controls. About 25% assessed the ecosystem as “not safe”, pointing to continuous concerns about data offenses, unauthorized access or lack of comprehensive cyber standards. This concern can be rooted in inconsistent implementation on aid programs or limited visibility in backing systems, the report states. In an earlier report from Mint, it was said the government would expand the RDSS scheme by two years beyond March 2026, as progress was slow. Earlier this year, the Standing Committee on Parliament Energy expressed concern about the underperformance of the RDSS scheme, and the resulting increase in losses suffered by power distribution companies. In his report on claims for the Power Ministry, the panel said of the total of £ 30,065 crore awarded for RDSS during the first four years of the scheme (FY22 to FY25), about £ 25,664 was used on February 10.