Date:05/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/05/stories/2009010552120400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Online power bill payment will not cause job losses, says Veeraswami

Special Correspondent

— Photo: R.Ragu

CONVENIENT FACILITY: Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami launching the online electricity bill payment system for customers of Indian Bank and ICICI Bank in Chennai on Sunday. TNEB Chairman C.P. Singh is in the picture.

CHENNAI: Online payment of electricity bills will not lead to any job loss in the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Electricity Minister Arcot N.Veeraswami clarified here on Sunday.

“The collection counters run by the TNEB will continue to function. The scheme also will not affect the accounts department because we need manpower to verify the entry,” he said.

Mr.Veeraswami, who launched the online payment system at the TNEB headquarters for customers of Indian Bank and ICICI Bank, said the TNEB was gradually regularising the services of the contract workers. So far, 18,000 of the 21,600 contract workers had entered into the rolls.

Any Time Payment (ATP) for Chennai’s domestic consumers was first introduced in April 2008, in collaboration with Canara Bank, to helping customers who throng the payment counters in large numbers to pay the electricity bill. So far 35,189 customers have been benefited by the arrangement.

In November 9, 2009, the service was expanded with the inclusion of Axis bank. It has benefited 12,512 customers. On Sunday, the TNEB roped in Indian Bank and ICICI to further expand the online services.

Mr.Veeraswami said credit and debit cardholders of these two banks could make payments round the clock. Those who had accounts in these banks could make payments through net banking.

Asked whether the scheme would be introduced in other parts of the State, Mr.Veeraswami said this could be possible by the year-end.

Denying reports that the thermal power plants in the state were facing shortage of coal, he said the fact that generation in thermal power had not come down had proved the allegations wrong.

Mr.Veeraswami said the government had decided not to go ahead with its plans for holiday for industries following a request from industrial associations. He explained that there was no power cut in the night. “We are implementing it keeping in mind the interest of the students,” he added.