Cash payment of EB bills restricted to Rs 4,000 at counters
The sudden restriction on the acceptance of cash payment of EB bills over Rs 4,000 not only inconvenienced consumers but also surprised the utility’s employees at the counters who were not apprised about it
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CHENNAI: In a move that affected thousands of consumers paying their electricity bills at counters through cash, Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) reduced the cash-based payment limit to Rs 4,000 on Monday from Rs 5,000 at its counters without any prior announcement to the consumers.
The sudden restriction on the acceptance of cash payment of EB bills over Rs 4,000 not only inconvenienced consumers but also surprised the utility’s employees at the counters who were not apprised about it.
The CITU-affiliated Central Organisation of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees (COTEE) general secretary S Rajendran said that though a section of over 3 crore low-tension consumers pay their electricity bills through bank, post office, e-seva centres and online, a large section of consumers pay their bills at the counters through cash. “For the past year, the utility has been making changes in the bill collection system without any prior announcements and through oral instructions creating tension among workers and consumers,” he pointed out.
Until earlier this year, consumers were allowed to make cash payments for the bill at counters up to Rs 10,000. “Suddenly, it was restricted to Rs 5,000 (in August), and now, it’s lowered to Rs 4,000 on Monday. This led to many arguments between consumers and the staff at counters. Such restrictions will only bring disrepute to the government,” he opined, and urged the utility to do away with such restrictions.
A senior TNPDCL official said that the cash limit was reduced as part of the drive to promote online payment of electricity bills. The official pointed out that the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission amended the TN Electricity Supply Code in September 2023 to make payment of amounts exceeding Rs 1,000 through online payment, cheques or DD for both the LT and HT consumers.
Earlier, the cash limit was Rs 5000 for the LT consumers and Rs 2000 for the HT consumers. However, the utility did not enforce the cash payment limits for the LT consumers.
