Bhubaneswar: As part of 5T model of governance, the state government is going to launch unified online portal for all electricity services soon.
This was revealed during a high-level review meeting on digital mode under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy. Energy secretary Nikunja Bihari Dhal made a detailed presentation for timely delivery of services and good governance.
Tripathy directed the department to make online system more user friendly with bi-lingual (Odia & English) applications for common citizens.
The department was asked to develop a mobile application so that the citizens could access the services through cellphones. The Chief Secretary asked all power distribution companies (discoms) to make their service delivery system ready to operate through this common portal.
As of now, all discoms are following different processes for providing new service connections. They are levying different charges for this service. The grievance redressal systems of the discoms are also different from each other. The common portal will resolve all these issues, Dhal said.
Consumers will get new power connections within a specified time across the state irrespective of the area of operation, he stated.
The portal with its standardised process and application form would facilitate new service connection to domestic and micro business enterprises (up to 5 KW) within 48 hours where power infrastructure is available.
Besides, the portal would have proper escalation matrix for timely service with SMS facility both to the applicant and the discom official concerned at each stage of the work.
The system would also provide for online submission of application, issue of contract demand, bill payment, registration of consumer grievance and their redressal. Consumers would have option to pay the fees both in online and offline modes.