Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku has announced that the government has decided to withdraw the monthly rental or meter charge on prepaid electricity meters.

The decision comes in response to long-standing complaints and dissatisfaction among consumers.

Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the minister said customers had been expressing concerns for a long time about the monthly charges associated with prepaid meters. After reviewing the issue, the government decided to remove the charge to ensure more consumer-friendly electricity services.

He added that the decision would be implemented within a short period.

At present, customers using prepaid electricity meters are required to pay a fixed monthly fee as meter rent. However, many consumers have complained that the charges continued for years even after the cost of the meters had already been recovered.

Meanwhile, various civic groups and voices on social media had also been demanding the withdrawal of the charge for a long time.

The government’s latest decision is being viewed as a relief for electricity consumers.