Kathmandu, October 8
Around 73 per cent of electricity customers in Nepal still pay their electricity bills by physically visiting payment counters.
A total of 655 electricity tariff collection counters are currently operating under the branches of 129 distribution centres of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). The NEA collects electricity payments from customers through these physical counters.
The operation of the counters costs around Rs 597.9 million annually.
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has urged customers to pay their electricity bills through digital platforms, saying a large number of people still have to visit payment counters.
He said digital payments would save customers time and transportation costs while reducing cash transactions and improving financial transparency and security.
The minister also said the resources and human resources currently used to operate payment counters could be utilised for other essential customer services.
According to Shrestha, around 73 per cent of electricity customers still visit physical counters to pay their bills. Shifting to digital payments would reduce the cost of operating counters and allow the staff involved to be assigned to other tasks.
“Digital payments save citizens’ time and transportation costs. Reducing cash transactions increases financial transparency and security, while the resources and human resources used to operate counters can be utilised for other essential customer services,” he said.
Shrestha urged people to inform, teach and encourage their family members, relatives, neighbours and acquaintances to use digital payment services for electricity bills.
