DCM urges power dept to maximize revenue collection

ITANAGAR, 21 Jan: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has urged the officers and officials of the power department to gear up to maximize revenue collection through online collection of electricity bills.

He said this during a review meeting with the commissioner and the chief engineers of the power department, along with advisor to the power minister Balo Raja, on the status of online payment of electricity bills.

“The motto of launching the online payment of electricity bills in 6 R-APDRP towns in Arunachal Pradesh is a part of the digital governance of the state government for the convenience of the consumers and the department,” he said, and urged all the officers and officials of the department to encourage the consumers to avail the SMS and e-billing services.

Capital Electrical Division EE Joram Lali made a PowerPoint presentation on the customer care centre (contact centre/call centre), which was made operational in June 2020 for the electricity consumers of 6 R-APDRP towns, namely, Itanagar, Naharlagun, Pasighat, Roing, Tezu and Namsai.

He also informed that the customer care centre platform for the remaining 3 R-APDRP towns, namely, Ziro, Daporijo and Aalo, will be made operational once the online payment system in these three towns are activated.

“Consumers of six towns need not visit the department’s offices for matters related to power supply, electricity bills, meter readings, billing, etc, as they are availing the services by dialing the helpline number 1912,” he said.

Lali further informed that the development of a mobile app for online payment of electricity bills “is in completion stage and shall be launched in February 2021.”

Till December 2020, the power department received a revenue collection of Rs 3,37,21,773 crore through online payment in the 6 R-APDRP towns of the state, out of which Rs 2,34,58,234 were postpaid bills and Rs 1,02,63,539 were prepaid bills. (DCM’s PR Cell)