Shillong, June 23: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday called out the widening gap between what consumers in Meghalaya are paying for electricity and what they are actually receiving, as he chaired a pointed review meeting at the State Guest House, Taraghar, to examine issues of power supply, billing practices and public grievances in areas managed by SAI Computers under the Distribution Franchisee arrangement of the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL).
The meeting, attended by MeECL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Sanjay Goyal, senior MePDCL officials, and representatives of SAI Computers, came in the wake of mounting public complaints over inflated electricity bills, unreliable supply and poor consumer service in franchise areas under the company’s management.
Frustration on the Ground
SAI Computers made a detailed presentation before the Chief Minister outlining the operational challenges it inherited when it took over the franchise areas — among them a high percentage of defective meters, ageing infrastructure, frequent transformer failures, unmetered connections, gaps in consumer data and unresolved billing irregularities. Officials noted that a large proportion of consumers in these areas belong to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category and that many meters were already non-functional at the time of handover.
The Chief Minister, however, made clear that inherited problems offer little comfort to consumers facing monthly hardship.
“Electricity is one of the most sensitive public services because it directly affects households every month. If people are paying higher bills and yet are not receiving reliable power, there will naturally be frustration. We must understand the concerns of the people and respond accordingly,” Sangma said.
Service Before Excuses
Striking a firm but constructive tone throughout the meeting, the Chief Minister directed both SAI Computers and MePDCL to shift their focus squarely onto the consumer, setting aside internal justifications for the current state of affairs.
“The public does not care who inherited the problem. They want better service. Therefore, the focus must first be on improving power supply, replacing transformers and meters, and strengthening infrastructure. Once people begin to see improvements, trust will be built,” he said.
Sangma also flagged complaints about the manner in which company representatives have been engaging with the public, stressing that respectful communication was not optional but essential.
“Our people are simple. If you speak to them respectfully, they will respond positively. If there is a communication gap, misunderstandings will grow. Building trust with consumers is the most important thing at this stage,” he said.
Outreach, Feedback and a Phased Approach
The Chief Minister directed SAI Computers to launch extensive public outreach programmes, actively involving local leaders, church representatives, NGOs, teachers and other community stakeholders to explain the challenges being addressed, the improvements underway and the expected timelines. He also urged the company to set up mechanisms to receive and act on consumer feedback in a timely manner.
On billing, Sangma advised the franchisee to tread carefully and adopt a phased approach — warning against placing sudden financial burdens on consumers while service improvements are still being rolled out.
“Let us solve the problem first. We have to understand the people’s concerns and work together to provide better service. We are one team and our objective is to ensure reliable power supply for the people,” he said.
Government Backing, With Accountability
The Chief Minister assured all stakeholders that the State Government would continue to support investments in power infrastructure — including substations, transformers and network upgrades — and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to affordable and reliable electricity for all consumers.
MeECL CMD Sanjay Goyal informed the meeting that several infrastructure improvement projects are already in progress under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), with work ongoing on transformer upgrades, defective meter replacement, improved voltage management and enhanced consumer engagement.
The meeting concluded with firm directions to SAI Computers and MePDCL to accelerate infrastructure improvements, step up metering and transformer replacement, strengthen consumer outreach and submit regular progress reports for further government review.
