Kerala: KSEB now sending electricity bills in Malayalam to consumers
The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has started issuing electricity bills in Malayalam in response to complaints about difficulties reading bills in English. Following a request from the Regulatory Commission at the Adalat, KSEB will now provide bills in either Malayalam or English.
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FollowThiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has begun issuing electricity bills in Malayalam. The move follows a demand raised by the Regulatory Commission at the Adalat (public hearing). The decision comes after complaints about difficulties in reading bills in English. From now on, electricity bills will be provided in Malayalam or English based on customer preference, directly from the meter reading machine.
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The current bill will also be sent to consumers via SMS and email. It can be downloaded from the website www.kseb.in. The website provides details in Malayalam about what each charge, such as energy charge, duty charge, and meter rental, entails and how they are calculated.
Meanwhile, KSEB is actively considering switching from bi-monthly to monthly billing. Consumers have long requested monthly bills instead of the current bi-monthly system. Under the current system, if consumption exceeds 200 units, the tariff for additional units is Rs 8.20 each. Many customers end up paying significantly higher amounts due to the bi-monthly billing. Switching to monthly billing could potentially avoid higher tariffs and excessive bills. A final decision on this change has not yet been made.
Currently, the cost of a single meter reading is approximately Rs 9, but with monthly billing, this expense could double. Implementing spot billing would require hiring additional staff. To address these challenges, KSEB is considering allowing consumers to take their own meter readings as a cost-saving measure. Consumers would then be able to submit their readings and pay their bills through section offices or customer care numbers, potentially via a WhatsApp group or similar platform.
