The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) has roped in three more banks for online payment of electricity bills by domestic consumers.
With the inclusion of State Bank of India, Tamilnad Mercantile Bank and Lakshmi Vilas Bank, the total number of banks offering the facility rises to 14. The TANGEDCO is holding negotiations with Central Bank of India, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank, Bank of India and the Tamil Nadu State Apex Cooperative (TNSC) Bank to extend the facility.
Of the banks that are already offering the facility, the City Union Bank and the Karur Vysya Bank are planning to introduce mobile banking facility and the Indian Bank short messaging services (SMS) for payment.
Detailing various measures taken by his organisation for easy payment of electricity bills, Rajeev Ranjan, TANGEDCO Chairman and Managing Director, told reporters here on Wednesday that 78 Any Time Payment (ATP) machines would be installed in three months at various places of the State including Madurai, Tirunelveli, Tiruchi and Vellore.
He said 23,000 consumers were now paying the bills through 22 ATP machines installed at Chennai, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Salem. The number of consumers paying the bill in post offices was one lakh.
Electricity Minister Natham R. Viswanathan, who launched the facility in the three banks on Wednesday, said with the recent steps, the number of domestic consumers opting the facility would go up from eight per cent to 25 per cent. At present eight lakh consumers were paying electricity charges by online.
