THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Power Minister K Krishnankutty on Sunday clarified that there was no difference of opinion with the chief minister over the smart meter project. He said the KSEB had been instructed to devise an alternative smart meter solution instead of the TOTEX model, which the ruling Left government had collectively shot down in a political move.
Krishnankutty has also sent a letter to the union energy minister seeking a three-month extension towards implementing the smart meter project. The decision to overlook the TOTEX model was taken at a high-level meeting between Krishnankutty and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday. The development came following a directive from the CPM Politburo.
The power minister said that KSEB is looking to roll out an alternative smart meter model in the next three months. Meanwhile, the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers has welcomed the state government’s decision not to proceed with the TOTEX model.