Bharat Bill Payment Service (BBPS) comes to the rescue of Electricity Companies
Link to my Blog Post @ https://innovationinbanking.blogspot.com/2020/04/bharat-bill-payment-service-bbps-comes.html
The traditional methods of Bill Payments for Electricity Companies have come to a standstill with the #Covid19 lockdown. The majority of the electricity bill counters are shutdown and the traditional electricity consumers who settle their bills via Cash are handicapped.
Electricity bills can be paid via the Online Mode i.e Net Banking/ Popular APPS viz PAYTM/PHONEPE or electricity departments or NACH Debit Standing Instructions.
The trend of digital modes over the cash mode is on the increase, however, the majority of customers still prefer to stand in the queue at electricity companies bill counters and pay in cash.
BBPS onboarded Electricity Bills payment in the first phase and all State Electricity Board companies.
BBPS facilitates “Any time anywhere bill payment” encompassing more than 150 billers in India. The vision is to get the customers closer to their Billers on a national platform.
Through BBPS, consumers can pay their Bills via multiple payment channels digitally like Internet Banking, Mobile Banking, Website, etc. or assisted/physical channels like Agent, Bank-Branches & BC network.
Over 70 electricity companies are already LIVE on BBPS and few other remaining electricity companies will onboard in the next couple of months.
The gap between bill generation and reflection of the said bill in BBPS has reduced from 12 days to 2 days now. This means the customer can view his/her electricity bill in BBPS after 2 days of generation of the bill in the electricity company billing system.
A bonus for payment of electricity bills via BBPS is most welcome. Hopefully, this should happen in the near future.
The Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) has clarified that consumers cannot defer the payment of electricity bills for a period of three months till June 2020 — since MESCOM has not received such directions from Ministry of Power, Centre or state government or ESCOMs regarding postponement of electricity bill payments.
MESCOM has informed its customers that they can also use Paytm application, any bank apps, and most importantly via BBPS outlets, banks, wallets to view/ make bill payments under BBPS platform.
On the same line, Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitran Company appealed to all the power consumers of 16 districts of Bhopal, Narmadapuram, Gwalior and Chambal divisions under its jurisdiction to avail online bill payment services from home and pay their bills on time.
It may be noted that the company has closed all its bill payment centers during the lockdown period to prevent the infection of Novel Corona virus (COVID-19).
Consumers are advised that they need not leave the house to pay their electricity bills during the lockdown period. They can easily pay their electricity bill online sitting at home.
Facility of payment of online electricity bills is available to low tension consumers through MP Online, Common Service Centre, Company Portal (Net Banking, Credit / Debit Card, UPI, ECS, EBPS, BBPS, Cash Card and Wallet etc.) Paytm App, UPAY mobile app and the company’s website portal.mpcz.in.
Consumers can pay electricity bills through their credit card, debit card, cash card or internet banking of more than 50 banks.
So just go ahead and pay your electricity bills via BBPS. Nothing more to worry, no need of stepping out of home, no worry of missed payments, no worry of late fees, no worry of electricity line disconnection.