An operator explains the functioning of an Any Time Payment machine at JSEB’s Adityapur office on Sunday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, Jan. 23: Paying power pills was never so easy in the steel city.

After launching spot billing at its Singhbhum Electricity Supply Area (SESA) last week, the Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) is now getting ready to introduce the Any Time Payment facility in Jamshedpur — one of its highest revenue generators.

Other areas under SESA, which covers East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan, will follow suit.

Under the new system, customers will be able to pay electricity bills at Any Time Payment (ATP) machines to be installed at various places. Member (finance) of JSEB A.K. Singh told The Telegraph that these machines were coming up at four places — Mango, Adityapur, Karandih and Chhota Govindpur. They will start functioning from February.

“The ATP machines are being installed in association with Canara Bank Computing Services. It will take another week to upload the data pertaining to consumers. We will be in a position to offer the service from the beginning of next month,” said Singh.

He added that the machines — to function from 8am to 8pm — would accept both cash and cheques and issue a receipt to consumers. Payment facilities through bank drafts, debit and credit cards will be added later. The consumers will have to just key in the consumer number and book number into the machine and the entire data, including bill amount, will be displayed.

However, they will be required to pay in notes only, as the machines will not accept coins. If anyone ends up paying more than the bill amount, the machines will not refund the money. The excess amount will be adjusted with the next month’s bill. Each transaction will take 30 seconds.

“The ATP facility is being introduced to ensure that consumers do not face problems while paying bills. Operators have been appointed, who will be deputed near the machines to assist consumers,” said P.P. Porh, general manager of SESA.

“The machines are highly sophisticated with touchscreen features,” he added.

The ATP facility was launched in the Ranchi supply area last month. The machines have been installed in four out of the six earmarked places in the state capital. Officials of the board added that other supply areas like Dhanbad, Dumka and Medininagar (Daltonganj) would get the facility by this year.