Energy secretary Pratyaya Amrit at the news meet in Patna on Friday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Come January, residents would get their New Year gift from the Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited in the form of 100 any time payment (ATP) machines.

This would free consumers from visiting offices for depositing bills. Energy department secretary and chairman-cum-managing director of Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited Pratyaya Amrit made the announcement on Friday on the eve of the company’s foundation day.

Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi would attend the function at Adhiveshan Bhavan on Saturday followed by a cultural programme at SK Memorial Hall in the evening.

Amrit said: “We have decided to install 100 ATP machines to cater to the needs of power consumers. We will make the ATPs functional by January 1, 2015. The power company has already identified 50 places where the machines would be installed. Tenders for the same has already been floated.”

There are already 20 ATP machines, which are operational at different places, including Panitanki, near AN College, Vidhyut Bhavan premises, under Kankerbagh bridge, Serpentine Road, and near Mona Cinema.

Once the consumer enters an ATP machine, he/she needs to enter the consumer ID and follow instructions accordingly. The consumer is then given an option to pay the bill either by cash, cheque or draft. Once the payment is made successfully, the machine will generate a receipt.

The consumers do not require exact change to pay the electricity bill. The extra amount goes in the balance and it will be adjusted next time when you pay the bill. There are attendants deputed at every ATP machine to help consumers.

“We are taking several steps to make the energy department a consumer-friendly organisation. I know there are many challenges as well but we will surely overcome them,” said Amrit, who was accompanied by managing directors of Bihar State Power Transmission Company Ltd and South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd Sanjay Kumar Singh and Palka Sahni, respectively.

One of the 100 machines would be installed at P&M Mall. Expressing happiness over the announcement, a resident of Pataliputra, Shankar Prasad, said: “It is a very good decision by the state government and would be really beneficial for everyone.”

At present, the energy department is working on several projects worth Rs 15,000 crore through various centrally sponsored schemes besides funding from multilateral organisations and state’s own plans, Amrit said.