Power dept. goes on drive to educate consumers on paying bills online

[caption id="attachment_137139" align="alignleft" width="550"] Rajesh Soundararajan paying his electricity bill online at the DC’s office premises in Kohima on September 6.[/caption] Our Correspondent Kohima, Sep. 6 (EMN): In spite of efforts by the Power department in introducing an online electricity bill payment facility for Kohima town, the response of consumers has been far from satisfactory. Making it known that there are more than 32,000 registered customers in Kohima town, officials of the Power department on Wednesday informed that only 3000-4000 customers have so far used the online facility to pay electricity bills in Kohima. To generate awareness among the public, the department demonstrated how to use the online electricity bill payment on Wednesday. It will continue for the next few days. The kick-off programme for the campaign was held at the DC’s office premises in Kohima. The event was attended by Rajesh Soundararajan, deputy commissioner of Kohima. Dimapur was the first district in the state where the online payment facility was introduced by the department last year in October. It was followed by Chumukedima in November. Speaking at the programme, Khose Sale, chief engineer (distribution and revenue) said that the online payment was initiated to increase efficiency in the department’s performance and for the convenience of the public. Stating the need to educate and sensitize the public to use online payment systems to pay electricity bills, which he said was essential, Sale said that the initiative will go a long way in realizing the dream of the state for good e-governance. In his address, Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Soundararajan lauded the Power department for taking the initiative to come up with the system. “Online payment will definitely usher in a system which is more transparent, customer friendly and department friendly,” he said maintaining that it (system) will definitely contribute towards e-governance and the digital India mission. The administrator said that the online facility will also create a ‘lot of convenience’ for consumers as it will reduce the time taken during payment of bills. Also, Additional Chief Engineer Keviletuo Yiese said that the awareness campaign was initiated as the response from customers had been poor during the past few months. He said that the online payment facility was introduced to create efficiency for both the department and the public. He has requested the service providers to improve their internet services twenty-four seven so that the public will not complain.’ He said that the new system will also avoid such experiences from now on. A consumer can pay from their debit card, credit card or through internet banking. To ensure whether or not the payment was successful, the consumer will be alerted through an SMS via mobile, while all the payment details will also be informed through the customer’s registered email. To make it convenient for the public, the department will also be setting up various counters at AG colony, DC office, Nagaland Secretariat and some directorates, it was informed. The departmental officials have informed that the online payment facility was introduced in Tuensang and Mon districts during June and July 2017. It was further informed that the department will be introducing the facility in Wokha, Zunheboto, and Phek district soon. In a similar programme, awareness cum demonstration campaign on Online Electricity Bill Payment (OEBP) was held in the Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Kohima, on September 6. SDO (Technical Consultant), Vikhozolie Nisa, briefed the department officials on the online payment procedures and informed that consumers could log on to www.dopn.gov.in to pay or view their bills. Consumers could also register their mobile number by typing the consumer ID and sending it to 7005405146 and get SMS message for bill and payment confirmation. He further informed that the online payment facility in Kohima, which was started during December 2016, is available only for consumers under Sub Division –I. For any billing queries, all concerned consumers could write their queries to cpower1helpdesk@gmail.com, said Nisa. IN yet another programme, an awareness cum demonstration campaign of online electricity bill payment was held in the office chamber of ADC, Dimapur, on September 6. ADC Dimapur, Sara Jamir, speaking at the programme, said that the launch of online payment of electricity bill is a major relief for the consumers, who had to wait in queues to pay their bills and more convenient for the consumers to pay their bill. She appealed the Department of Power to create more awareness. Officials of the Power Department explained the procedures for payments online. The officials informed that consumers could log on to www.dopn.gov.in to pay or view their bills. Consumers could also register their mobile number by typing the consumer ID and sending it to 7005405146 and get SMS message for bill and payment confirmation.