Consumers in Odisha will be able to pay their electricity bills in Prepaid Soon

Electricity customers in Odisha can now pre-pay their bills, as the state government plans to install prepaid smart energy metres in all households, Assembly Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro said today.

The Speaker told reporters after a meeting of the Assembly Standing Committee of Energy Department in the House that consumers will be able to pay for the units using SIM cards on a prepaid basis, and that power supply will be cut off once the prepaid amount is depleted.

Senior officials from Tata Power Southern Odisha Distribution Ltd (TPSODL) and the Energy Department met to discuss various issues concerning power supply in the affected areas. They discussed how to ensure a steady supply of electricity in the affected areas.
A few middlemen hired to collect electricity bills were discovered to be misappropriating the money collected. As a result, Self Help Groups (SHGs) will be enlisted to collect electricity bills, he added.

The Speaker also stated that steps will be taken to ensure the supply of electricity to houses that are still without it. Furthermore, prior to any power outage, a public announcement will be made.

Contractual workers (both technical and non-technical) will be paid according to the remuneration set by the state government, according to Patro.