India, Jan. 21 -- India's smart metering initiative is yielding financial benefits for power companies.

But challenges like data utilisation, manpower and consumer trust hinder the full potential of the initiative.

States like Bihar show significant gains but experts warn that without addressing these issues, the programme's long-term impact may be limited.

There's a need for improved data analytics and consumer engagement.

India's ambitious smart metering programme is delivering measurable financial and operational gains for several power distribution companies, but experts and utility heads warn that unresolved challenges around data utilisation, manpower capacity and consumer engagement could limit its long-term impact unless urgen...