Post offices in south Odisha to collect electricity bills

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Brahmapur, June 9:

Electricity consumers in eight south Odisha districts will be now able to pay their electricity bills in 400 sub-post offices and head post offices in these districts, said sources.

Distribution utility Southern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha Ltd (Southco), a Reliance Infrastructure controlled company, has entered into an agreement with Bhubaneswar postal circle for collection of electricity bills through 400 post offices in Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkanagiri, Nabarangapur, Kandhamal and Boudh districts.

The postal circle will be paid some commission for collection of electricity bills by the distribution company (discom), said official sources in Southco. However, no extra amount will be charged to the consumer for payment through post offices, the sources clarified.

The arrangement has been especially made for facilitating payment of electricity bills by rural consumers in their village post offices, said an official of Southco.

Postal department has developed a special software for the purpose to be issued in post offices wherever computers are available. In post offices where computers are not available, money receipts jointly developed by Southco and postal department will be provided to consumers, the official said.

Similarly discom Southco has also entered into agreements with ICICI Bank and two private companies for collection of utility bills.

Besides, Southco has a tie-up with the State Bank of India (SBI) for collection of electricity bills through cash as well as debit cards in select branches apart from 60 collection counters in the districts under its jurisdiction..

Southco which has around 1.5 million consumers including private and government entities collects around Rs 60-65 crore revenue from consumers every month, sources said.