Union Minister for Power and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday held a comprehensive review meeting with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha in Agartala, covering the state's power sector performance, urban development schemes, and clean energy expansion, according to an official statement. The meeting addressed operational gaps in power distribution and set concrete timelines for smart metering and rooftop solar deployment across the state.

Key Developments from the Review

The meeting placed sharp focus on the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and the operational and financial health of Tripura's power distribution companies (DISCOMs). Khattar stressed the urgency of reducing Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses and improving revenue collection, with particular emphasis on converting meters installed at government offices and establishments to prepaid metering.

The state committed to completing the conversion of all government consumers to prepaid metering by August 2026 and finishing all pending smart meter installations by July 2027.

Transmission Planning and Demand Growth

Khattar also reviewed the state's resource adequacy and intra-state transmission planning, advising that capacity addition must keep pace with rising electricity demand. Tripura committed to expediting augmentation of its intra-state transmission infrastructure in line with its resource adequacy plan. This comes amid growing pressure on state grids across India's northeastern region, where demand growth has consistently outpaced infrastructure expansion.

Clean Energy Push Under PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar

Progress under PM-KUSUM and the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana was reviewed during the meeting. The state was advised to leverage both schemes to widen access to clean energy, especially in remote and underserved areas. Tripura committed to installing rooftop solar systems for 2 lakh consumers by March 2027, a target that officials said would also help reduce electricity costs for those households.

What the Government Said

Khattar assured the state of the Government of India's continued support across all aspects of its power sector development. Chief Minister Manik Saha said the state would take all necessary measures for the expeditious implementation of sanctioned works and improving overall power sector performance.

The meeting was attended by Tripura's Minister for Power, senior state government officials, and representatives from the Union Ministry of Power, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and central power sector public sector enterprises.

What Comes Next

With binding timelines now set — prepaid metering by August 2026, smart meter completion by July 2027, and 2 lakh rooftop solar installations by March 2027 — the Centre will likely track delivery against these benchmarks in subsequent review cycles. The outcome will be closely watched as a test of Tripura's ability to translate central scheme support into measurable grid improvement.