**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer provided by the Minister of Power to Starred Question No. 181 in the Lok Sabha on February 12, 2026, regarding Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses in India. The answer outlines the measures taken by the Government to reduce these losses, including financial assistance through schemes like Integrated Power Distribution Scheme (IPDS) and Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). An annexure presents the state-wise AT&C loss percentage as of March 31, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Context:** The Government of India supplements the efforts of State Governments/distribution utilities to improve their financial health by reducing AT&C losses.
* **Definition of AT&C Losses:** This parameter includes technical losses (energy lost in distribution) and commercial losses (theft, billing errors, collection inefficiency).
* **Government Initiatives:**
* IPDS was launched in December 2014 to strengthen distribution networks in urban areas. Works worth Rs 58,686 crore were executed. The scheme closed in March 2022.
* RDSS was launched in July 2021 to provide reliable and quality power, with projects worth Rs. 1.53 lakh crore for loss reduction infrastructure and Rs. 1.31 lakh crore for smart metering sanctioned.
* RDSS fund release is linked to the performance of distribution utilities against various parameters including AT&C losses.
* **Works Sanctioned:** The following works were sanctioned under IPDS and RDSS to strengthen and modernize distribution networks:
* Creation/upgradation of substations, including Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) Substations
* Installation of new Distribution Transformers (DT) and augmentation of existing DTs
* Replacement of old conductors
* Underground of HT/LT lines
* Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) works
* **Smart Metering under RDSS:** Pre-paid smart metering works covering 19.79 crore consumers and smart system metering works for 2.11 lakh feeders and 52.53 lakh DTs have been sanctioned. 4.19 crore smart meters have been installed under RDSS. Overall, 5.59 crore smart meters have been installed across the country under various schemes including 6.54 lakh smart meters under IPDS.
* **AT&C Loss Reduction:** AT&C Losses of distribution utilities have reduced from 22.62% in FY2014 to 15.04% in FY2025 at the national level.
* **Karnataka:** Under IPDS, distribution infrastructure works amounting to Rs 2,352 Cr were implemented. Karnataka has not participated under RDSS. 18,438 nos. of 11kV feeder energy meters have been installed. Smart metering works are being carried out in the State as per KERC Regulations.
* **State-wise AT&C Loss (Annexure):** A table provides state-wise AT&C loss percentages as of March 31, 2025.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments/Distribution Utilities**
* **Impact:** Affected by the initiatives and schemes aimed at reducing AT&C losses.
* **Action Required:** To take measures to reduce AT&C losses to improve their financial health and to submit proposals to avail benefits under the RDSS. They need to implement works for creation/upgradation of substations, installation of new Distribution Transformers, replacement of old conductors, underground HT/LT lines, and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) works.
**Consumers**
* **Impact:** Supposedly benefiting from more reliable and quality power supply due to strengthened distribution networks.
* **Action Required:** None explicitly mentioned.
Key Entities Referenced
Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses: A key parameter reflecting energy losses in the distribution network due to technical issues, theft, and billing inefficiencies.
Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS): A Government of India scheme focused on modernizing distribution networks and reducing AT&C losses by improving infrastructure and smart metering.
Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS): A scheme launched by the Government of India for strengthening distribution networks in urban areas to reduce AT&C losses and improve power supply.
Ministry of Power: The ministry responsible for policies and programs related to electricity and power development in India.
Karnataka: Indian state where steps were taken by the Government to strengthen feeder metering and smart-grid deployment
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF POWER
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO.181
ANSWERED ON 12.02.2026
AGGREGATE TECHNICAL AND COMMERCIAL LOSSES
*181. DR. PRABHA MALLIKARJUN:
Will the Minister of POWER
be pleased to state:
(a) the current national average of Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C)
losses and the State-wise comparison thereof;
(b) the measures taken by the Government under the Revamped Distribution Sector
Scheme (RDSS) and the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) to modernise
distribution networks;
(c) the impact of technical losses on the financial health of State DISCOMs;
(d) the steps taken by the Government to strengthen feeder metering and smart-grid
deployment in Karnataka; and
(e) whether any smart-metering pilot projects have been implemented in Davanagere
district in Karnataka and if so, the details and outcome thereof?
A N S W E R
THE MINISTER OF POWER
(SHRI MANOHAR LAL)
(a) to (e) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*******STATEMENT
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) IN RESPECT OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO.181 FOR REPLY ON 12.02.2026 REGARDING AGGREGATE
TECHNICAL AND COMMERCIAL LOSSES ASKED BY DR. PRABHA MALLIKARJUN.
*********
(a) to (c): Electricity being a concurrent subject, supply and distribution of
electricity to all consumers is within the purview of the respective State
Government/ distribution utility. Government of India (GoI) has been
supplementing the efforts of the States to improve the financial health of the
distribution utilities including reduction in their Aggregate Technical and
Commercial (AT&C) losses. This parameter comprises the technical loss which
reflects the energy that could not be billed due to energy lost in the distribution
network and the commercial losses as a result of theft, billing errors and
collection inefficiency against the energy billed.
A key measure to improve the technical losses is to strengthen the
distribution infrastructure for which GoI has supported States through financial
assistance under schemes like Integrated Power Distribution Scheme (IPDS)
and currently under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) to help
achieve the objective of providing quality and reliable supply of power to all
consumers.
IPDS was launched by the Government of India in December 2014 for
strengthening of the distribution networks in urban areas of the country. Works
amounting to Rs 58,686 crore were executed under the scheme.
RDSS was launched in July 2021, with the objective of providing reliable
and quality power to consumers through a financially sustainable and
operationally efficient distribution sector. Under the scheme, projects worth Rs.
1.53 lakh crore for loss reduction infrastructure and Rs. 1.31 lakh crore for smart
metering have been sanctioned based on proposals submitted by the States.
The following works to strengthen and modernize the distribution network
were sanctioned in the above schemes:
Works for creation of new/upgradation of substations including Gas
Insulated Switchgear (GIS) Substations
Installation of new Distribution Transformers (DT) and augmentation of
existing DTs
……..2.- 2 -
Replacement of old conductors
Underground of HT/LT lines
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) works
Under RDSS, Pre-paid smart metering works covering 19.79 crore
consumers and smart system metering works for 2.11 lakh feeders and
52.53 lakh DTs have been sanctioned. Till date, 4.19 crore smart meters
have been installed under RDSS, and overall, 5.59 crore smart meters have
been installed across the country under various schemes including 6.54
lakh smart meters under IPDS.
The works sanctioned under RDSS are at various stages of
implementation. The IPDS stands closed as on March 2022.
Further, under RDSS, release of funds for distribution infrastructure is
linked to performance of the distribution utilities against various parameters
including AT&C losses. It is envisaged to nudge the utilities to take measures
to improve their financial health.
With collective efforts of Centre & States/UTs and the reform measures
taken, the AT&C Losses of distribution utilities have reduced from 22.62% in
FY2014 to 15.04% in FY2025 at the national level. State–wise AT&C Losses as
on 31.03.2025 is enclosed at Annexure.
(d) & (e) : Under IPDS, distribution infrastructure works amounting to Rs 2,352
Cr were implemented in the State of Karnataka. Executed works included new
GIS substations, new/ augmentation of substation/ DT, underground cabling
works etc.
Karnataka has not participated under RDSS. As reported by the State,
18,438 nos. of 11kV feeder energy meters have been installed. In addition, smart
metering works are being carried out in the State as per KERC Regulations.
**********ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN PARTS (a) TO (c) OF THE STATEMENT LAID IN
REPLY TO STARRED QUESTION NO. 181 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON
12.02.2026 REGARDING AGGREGATE TECHNICAL AND COMMERCIAL LOSSES
***********
AT&C Loss (%) as on 31.03.2025
State/ UT AT&C Loss (%)
Andaman & Nicobar Islands 24.14
Andhra Pradesh 7.87
Arunachal Pradesh 46.20
Assam 15.44
Bihar 15.51
Chhattisgarh 14.25
Delhi 6.56
Goa 10.39
Gujarat 7.80
Haryana 11.76
Himachal Pradesh 19.44
Jharkhand 28.19
Karnataka 11.92
Kerala 6.61
Ladakh 26.82
Madhya Pradesh 22.76
Maharashtra 16.90
Manipur 12.90
Meghalaya 17.52
Mizoram 32.31
Nagaland 48.86
Odisha 17.81
Puducherry 14.72
Punjab 19.21
Rajasthan 15.18
Sikkim 21.84
Tamil Nadu 10.96
Telangana 19.84
Tripura 29.61
Uttar Pradesh 19.26
Uttarakhand 15.08
West Bengal 16.96
National 15.04
***************