KATHMANDU: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has directed the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to expand the system of electronic payment of electricity consumers in a systematic manner.

Minister Shrestha stressed on the need to end the situation of citizens standing in queues for hours to pay electricity bills in the age of information technology and directed the Nepal Electricity Authority to further expand the digital payment for this. He also informed that the board of directors of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has approved a plan to expand digital payment effectively. He stressed on the need to create public awareness for its effective implementation at the grassroots level.

In a discussion with the chiefs of the electricity division office in Hetauda, Minister Shrestha said, “Digital payment should be expanded further. I direct the division chiefs to take digital payment forward as a campaign so that it will save the time of the general public, we can also manage the cost and use the manpower there for other things, public awareness and address the complaints of the customers,” he said.

According to him, although the graph of e-payment has increased, it is not satisfactory and people still have to stand in line.

“When it started, the percentage increased drastically. But last year, it did not increase by more than one percent. This is a serious issue,” he said, “In the age of information technology, I have seen that people should come to pay by standing in line. ‘

Minister Shrestha also directed the customers to respond and disseminate information on time during tripping. He also directed to pay special attention to control the leakage, saying that electricity leakage is a loss to the people. Stating that it is the responsibility to protect the power structures, Minister Shrestha directed the division chiefs to not only reconstruct the poles but also maintain and patrol the poles.

Minister Shrestha also directed the Division Office Chiefs to fulfill their responsibilities by making good governance and governance reform as the main mantra at the decision-making place.