Coimbatore : The Consumer Voice of Coimbatore through a petition has requested the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to introduce a system of payment of electricity bills using debit cards.
Coimbatore : The Consumer Voice of Coimbatore through a petition has requested the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to introduce a system of payment of electricity bills using debit cards.
In their letter they had urged that "There are over two crore electricity connections in Tamil Nadu - industrial, residential and commercial electricity connections. Among these, the consumers can pay bills either through cash, cheques or demand draft."
"Considering the multiple difficulties in assimilating their daily collections to the bank, the TNEB announced that bills more than Rs 2,000 could be paid only through cheques and draft. Thus, the Industrial and Commercial establishments pay off the bill through demand drafts for which banks charge commission or charges. However, owners who have rented apartments or more than one house are finding it difficult to pay by cheques", their plea noted.
Addressing the media, N.Logu, Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Voice, said "Cash transactions are gradually decreasing in Digital India. Moreover, banks are in the process of curtailing such transactions. In addition to this, every bank charge a different amount for issuing cheque book and the commission amount for demand drafts has also increased. This, in turn, causes many difficulties for the public."
He added that currently, all businesses, including small bakeries, provide facility for the customers to pay bills through debit and credit cards. Similarly, even gas payments are made through debit cards.
"In this scenario, the TNEB forces the consumers to pay bills only through cash at their division office. Hence, keeping in view of digitisation, TNEB should make arrangements to accept payments through debit cards", appealed, the Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Voice.
In their letter they had urged that "There are over two crore electricity connections in Tamil Nadu - industrial, residential and commercial electricity connections. Among these, the consumers can pay bills either through cash, cheques or demand draft."
"Considering the multiple difficulties in assimilating their daily collections to the bank, the TNEB announced that bills more than Rs 2,000 could be paid only through cheques and draft. Thus, the Industrial and Commercial establishments pay off the bill through demand drafts for which banks charge commission or charges. However, owners who have rented apartments or more than one house are finding it difficult to pay by cheques", their plea noted.
Addressing the media, N.Logu, Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Voice, said "Cash transactions are gradually decreasing in Digital India. Moreover, banks are in the process of curtailing such transactions. In addition to this, every bank charge a different amount for issuing cheque book and the commission amount for demand drafts has also increased. This, in turn, causes many difficulties for the public."
He added that currently, all businesses, including small bakeries, provide facility for the customers to pay bills through debit and credit cards. Similarly, even gas payments are made through debit cards.
"In this scenario, the TNEB forces the consumers to pay bills only through cash at their division office. Hence, keeping in view of digitisation, TNEB should make arrangements to accept payments through debit cards", appealed, the Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Voice.