Uttar Pradesh will expand installation of smart meters after a consumer awareness drive, state Power Minister AK Sharma said at the India Bioenergy and Tech Expo and the third International Conference and Exhibition on Bioenergy and Technologies. He described the smart meter as a transparent and scientific technological innovation that records electricity consumption and enables more accurate monitoring of usage. The government has paused further installations temporarily to carry out education and outreach among consumers before resuming the wider rollout.

Sharma explained that the pause reflects a desire to ensure householders understand the functioning and benefits of the meters, and that officials will resume installation once awareness targets are met. The initiative forms part of a broader programme to modernise Uttar Pradesh's power sector and introduce technology driven reforms to electricity distribution. He noted the state's progress under renewable energy schemes as evidence of the reform agenda.

The minister highlighted the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and said Uttar Pradesh has risen to second position nationally in total installations under the scheme, with Gujarat currently ahead. He added he thought the state would become number one within about a month and that authorities intend to accelerate deployment thereafter. The administration is therefore combining consumer education with infrastructure upgrades to support uptake.

Turning to bioenergy, Sharma said Uttar Pradesh is the country's largest producer of compressed biogas (CBG) and aims to capture a larger share of the national market given its large agricultural waste base. He said the state generates around 60 million (mn) t of agricultural waste annually and referred to about 0.2 mn t per day of agricultural waste availability, while urban centres produce roughly 15,000 t of waste per day that can be used for CBG generation. He said policy conditions have been created to support CBG plants and invited investors to explore opportunities in the state.