Panaji, October 28, 2025:
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa has accused Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar of misleading the people of Goa over the implementation of the Time-of-Day (TOD) tariff and exposed what it termed a ₹900 crore “Smart Meter Scam.” The party alleged that the BJP government is deceiving Goans while pushing policies that will burden consumers financially.
Addressing the media, AAP General Secretary Adv. Surel Tilve said Dhavalikar’s recent remarks suggesting that the TOD billing system would apply only to HT (High Tension) users were “a blatant lie.” Tilve pointed to the Electricity Department’s Public Notice (Petition No. 141/2025), which clearly states that “all LT consumers except agriculture shall be mandatorily billed under TOD tariff rates.”
“Sudin Dhavalikar has lied to Goans on camera. TOD for HT users has existed for several years — his false claim was a deliberate attempt to cover up a failed policy,” said Tilve. “Instead of addressing citizens’ concerns about the 20% power surcharge, he chose to mislead the public and insult those who questioned the government’s decisions.”
Tilve further accused the Power Minister of arrogance and disrespect towards public accountability, saying that his statements reflected the BJP government’s “habit of ridiculing anyone who exposes their wrongdoings.”
On the issue of the Smart Meter project, AAP National Spokesperson Valmiki Naik alleged that the cost escalation from ₹450 crore to ₹900 crore was “a daylight robbery in the name of modernization.”
“In Goa, there is absolutely no need for smart meters since most households already have digital meters. The project’s cost has doubled without justification — this is nothing short of a scam,” said Naik.
He warned that the introduction of smart meters could lead to inflated power bills and eventually force consumers into a prepaid system. “This government wants to control Goans’ electricity usage and make them dependent. Once prepaid meters are installed, people will have no flexibility to manage their bills. It’s an anti-people move,” he added.
Naik said the BJP government should focus on ensuring 24-hour electricity supply and providing 300 units of free power to every Goan, as AAP governments have done in Delhi and Punjab.
“Before talking about modernization, fix the basics. Stop wasting crores on inflated tenders and give Goans reliable and affordable electricity,” Naik asserted.
AAP has demanded that the government withdraw the TOD implementation, cancel the ₹900 crore Smart Meter tender, and conduct an independent audit into the Power Department’s expenditures.
— Aam Aadmi Party, Goa
