By Tripura24.in Bureau
AGARTALA | July 7, 2026: Launching a blistering attack on the BJP-led state administration, the Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) today labeled the ongoing installation of prepaid smart electricity meters as a “fraudulent system” designed to exploit common consumers. Addressing a packed press conference at the Congress Bhavan in Agartala, Pradesh Congress Spokesperson Shri Prabir Chakraborty raised serious concerns over the power sector crisis, deteriorating law and order, and state healthcare deficiencies.
Sharing the press briefing desk to reinforce the opposition’s structural demands were Sadar District Congress President Tanmoy Roy and Congress Treasurer Shyamal Pal.
”Why Should the Public Suffer for Server Malfunctions?”
The media interaction comes on the heels of mounting public resentment across urban and rural subdivisions regarding erratic power billing. Chakraborty alleged that the newly introduced smart metering framework uses complex digital algorithms against public interest, inflating bills while failing to provide basic grid stability.
He particularly highlighted severe administrative failures within the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL), pointing out that consumers in various regions, including Dharmanagar and Teliamura, have been plunged into darkness due to persistent server-related issues.
”The smart meter project has turned into a mechanism for wasting public funds while inflicting immense hardship on ordinary citizens. It is a completely fraudulent system. Why should the general public suffer and be deprived of electricity because the department’s servers are malfunctioning? People cannot recharge, and when they do, their money disappears into inflated, arbitrary tariffs. TSECL is currently burdened with nearly ₹2,000 crore in debt due to gross financial mismanagement, and the government is trying to recover those losses by extorting the common man. We demand an immediate cancellation of the smart meter project and a total rollback of the hiked electricity rates,” TPCC Spokesperson Prabir Chakraborty stated during the press conference.
Raising Alarms Over Lax Law Enforcement and Temple Thefts
Beyond the utility crisis, the Pradesh Congress spokesperson systematically targeted the state’s home department over a visible decline in public safety. Chakraborty pointed out that while security agencies frequently boast about large narcotics seizures, the actual kingpins and main culprits behind the drug networks are rarely penalized, hinting at the involvement of highly influential individuals protecting the trade.
He also brought up a recent incident of theft from the donation box at the local Ram Mandir, describing it as a deeply concerning sign of how bold miscreants have become under the current administrative watch.
Demanding Accountability in Public Health
Turning his focus to the social sector, the Congress leadership criticized the state’s healthcare network, stating that rural hospitals are operating without sufficient medical personnel, diagnostics, or lifesaving drugs. The party demanded that instead of executing cosmetic reforms or banning private practices overnight, the government must focus heavily on infrastructure expansion and immediate structural updates across state referral units.
The Pradesh Congress concluded the briefing by warning that if the administration does not freeze the smart meter roll-out and address these systemic public grievances, the party will intensify its ongoing democratic agitations into block-level civil movements across all eight districts.
