While reviewing the latest IT initiatives, Citizen Charter and various issues of power sector on Saturday evening, AP Transco CMD Suresh Chanda has specifically requested the net savvy electricity consumers to avail the facility of paying electricity bills through online also without any extra transactional charges which in-turn helps the consumers to save time, fuel and other resources.

After hearing the views of JMDs of APTRANSCO P Ramesh and Y Nagi Reddy, CMDs of DISCOMs SAM Rizvi, Kartikeya Misra, Seshagiri Babu and HY Dora, Directors of APTRANSCO G Ramakrishna Reddy, S Subrahmanyam and Mohd Anwaruddin, in a review meeting, the CMD suggested that DISCOMs should take up wide range publicity to inform the electricity consumers/general public about the usage of online systems for paying electricity bills through the websites www.apcentralpower.com, www.apnpdcl.in, www.apeasternpower.com, www.apspdcl.in for the benefit of urban/semi-urban consumers. In case of any difficulty in online processing, the consumers can send their feedback through web site/phone for the required modifications.

The CMD said that APTRANSCO is adopting comprehensive IT system for enhanced accountability and advised HT consumers to pay their electricity bills through Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system invariably for instant update of their dues. He also assured that all sustained efforts will be made to address the grievances of consumers by conducting regular consumer meets, rythu sadassulu, etc. Power utilities are striving hard to extend quality and adequate power to the maximum extent possible to all categories of consumers even by going for additional power procurement.

Power utilities are going to request Chief Secretary, Govt. of A.P. to hold the meetings with the key departments such as RWS, Irrigation, Municipalities, etc., having highest electricity dues for releasing the necessary funds from headquarter itself since financial health of power sector will play a pivotal role in the overall economic development of the State.

Power utilities have focused on adhering to the Citizen Charter issued to attend/rectify the grievances such as billing discrepancies, replacement of stuck up/burnt meters and to release the new connections, effect the transfer of ownership, conversion of categories, etc., on a time-bound and proactive manner. There are a total of 2.57 crore power consumers in the State. Of them, there are 32.68 lakh agriculture pump sets and around 95 per cent of the farmers are availing free power. Since the consumer is the real master of the power sector, CMD/APTRANSCO advised entire fraternity of power sector to fully focus on enhanced consumer services and grievance redressal mechanism for scrupulous adherence of Citizen Charter. INN