Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved ‘Apna Meter, Apni Reading’ program, initiating a self-metering system for electricity users to eliminate overbilling issues.
PM Shehbaz Sharif launched ‘Apna Meter, Apni Reading’ project would phase out present manual electricity meters and would establish a new digital charging system throughout the country.
Currently, meter readers photograph energy meters and send them to distribution companies (DISCOs) to generate monthly invoices.
After receiving complaints about overbilling and other difficulties, the government decided to implement self-metering to increase transparency in the system.
According to government authorities, the initiative, which aims to address the long-standing issue of overbilling, will enable power customers to submit meter readings using a mobile application called Apna Meter Apni Reading (“My Meter, My Reading”).
The change comes amid growing public outrage over high electricity bills, which authorities say are frequently driven by incorrect manual readings. In a recent meeting, Sharif asked the Power Division to complete a comprehensive implementation roadmap within a month.
“The new system is designed to empower consumers and bring greater transparency to the billing process,” a project official told reporters. “It will also help cut down on administrative costs.”
The Power Division will create the software in five languages: English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtu, and Balochi, to make it available to consumers across the country.
The premier ordered the Power Division a one-month deadline to develop a thorough staged plan for removing meter readers.
To ensure the success of this effort, a statewide media campaign is being developed in partnership with the Power Division and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with the goal of educating customers about the benefits of self-meter reading.
The government has allotted Rs316 million to this initiative.
DISCOs underlined that applications such as Power Smart App, Apna Meter Apni Reading, CCMS+, and Lineman Mobile Solution must be thoroughly tested and verified prior to release to avoid technical issues and ensure a seamless and dependable user experience.
