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Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) decided to give a chance for consumers to note power consumption from electricity metre and report it to the section offices to pay the bills. The new scheme will be implemented at eight section offices on an experimental basis. If it emerges successful, the new guidelines of the electricity department will be executed statewide.
The officers will guide the consumers on how to execute metre reading. Inorder to check whether the consumers are revealing proper reading, the officials will inspect each house within four to six months. This system had been carried out in many locations during the period of Covid-induced lockdown.
In an initial phase, the new scheme will be introduced at two section offices of Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur districts. In each district, one section office from the urban area and another from the rural area will be considered.
The board aims to reduce the number of metre readers through the scheme and also minimise complaints from consumers. The reading has to be taken on the 60th day. If it delayed, the consumption of the delayed days will also be added and this will lead to a steep hike in bill with the change in slab. Several consumers have raised complaints that the metre reading is not being carried out on time. The new scheme will address this issue as the consumers can note the consumption on time.
Special bills mentioning that the metre reading has been conducted by the consumers have to be distributed for the bills printed under the new scheme. A few modifications have been required for the billing software.
KSEB has also decided to launch prepaid smart metres soon.
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