The Uttar Pradesh government has officially scrapped the mandatory prepaid system for smart electricity meters, transitioning to a postpaid model under the directive of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This change is expected to benefit nearly 83 lakh households, especially small-scale consumers with lower electricity loads, who have faced issues such as sudden blackouts and difficulties in recharging their prepaid meters. Starting this month, electricity consumption will be recorded from the 1st to the 30th of each month, with bills sent directly to consumers via SMS or WhatsApp within the first ten days of the following month. This system provides a grace period for families to manage their finances effectively. Additionally, the power department has been instructed not to disconnect any connections during the active billing cycle, ensuring that vulnerable families are protected. Consumers with outstanding dues can now settle their payments in up to 10 easy installments. The state has also paused the installation of new smart meters to address existing technical grievances. Consumer representatives have welcomed this decision but are advocating for the withdrawal of FIRs against protesters who opposed the previous prepaid system.