On Sunday, Power Minister Manohar Lal announced plans to recover approximately Rs 800 crore in subsidy-related dues from West Bengal's power sector, which is facing losses of nearly Rs 15,000 crore. The next phase of the Smart Meter Programme is set to start in July, targeting 20 million consumers across the state. This rollout will initially focus on government offices before expanding to larger consumers and eventually domestic households. The initiative is part of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), which encourages states to modernize their power distribution infrastructure and improve billing efficiency. Despite previous reform efforts, many state-owned power distribution companies, including the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (WBSEDCL), continue to struggle with high technical and commercial losses and delayed subsidy payments. The Centre emphasizes that smart meters can enhance billing accuracy and provide real-time consumption data, thereby improving financial health in the sector. The proposed recovery of outstanding dues highlights the ongoing challenge of ensuring timely subsidy reimbursements to avoid liquidity issues in electricity supply.