KATHMANDU, Oct 8: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has appealed to everyone to pay their electricity bills through digital means.
Minister Shrestha pointed out that even in today’s digital age, 73 percent of citizens still visit payment counters physically to pay their electricity bills. He emphasized the need for everyone to work together to change this situation.
He said the support of conscious citizens is needed to achieve this.
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The Energy Minister further said that digital payments save people’s time and travel costs, reduce cash transactions, and enhance financial transparency and security. He also pointed out that the resources and manpower used to operate payment counters could be better utilized for other essential customer services.
Rs 597.9 million spent just on operating counters
According to Minister Shrestha, about 73 percent of citizens physically visit payment counters to pay their electricity bills. The annual cost of operating revenue collection counters for customers who make physical payments is around Rs 597.9 million.
He suggested that this expense could be saved through digital payments and that the manpower could be deployed for other work.
There are currently 655 revenue collection counters operating under the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA)’s 129 distribution center branches. Operating these counters alone costs millions of rupees annually.
“We can now all work together to change the situation where a large number of citizens still have to go to counters to pay their electricity bills. Digital payments save citizens’ time and travel expenses. Reducing cash transactions increases financial transparency and security. Also, the resources and manpower used to operate counters can be better utilized for other essential customer services,” Minister Shrestha said.
