Team Herald
PANJIM: The electricity department installed first-of-its-kind Any Time Payment Machine (ATPM) providing facility to consumers to pay electricity bills at any time of day and night.
The ATPM was installed in association with the TJSB Sahakari Bank Limited, at the Vidyut Bhavan, Panjim. Another 12 ATPMs will be launched across the State soon.
Power Minister Nilesh Cabral, who inaugurated the ATPM said that it will have a facility to withdraw cash just like any other ATM machine and also to carry out payments of electricity bills by depositing cash in the machine.
The machine will be combination of the normal Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and All Time Payment Machine (ATPM). The machine will give flexibility to the consumers to pay bills after office hours and also on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays as the machine will be operational 24x7 for all 365 days in the year, he informed.
Besides allowing both -- cash deposit and cash withdrawal, receipts will be issued to consumer as well as an SMS will be send on the mobile. There will be real time updation through the Bharat Bill Payment System.
This ATPM accepts denominations of Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2000 and denominations of the notes will be accepted will be displayed on the machine. Upon successful completion payment process, the consumer will be provided a confirmation receipt.
The Minister said that the ATPM is a total digital set up with simple self-operable steps where instant updation of payment towards electricity bills is possible thus empowering the consumers through improved payment Infrastructure.