KATHMANDU: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has urged citizens to shift to digital platforms for paying electricity bills.

Citing data that 73 percent of consumers still visit physical counters to make payments, the minister emphasized the need to transition away from traditional methods.

According to Minister Shrestha, the Nepal Electricity Authority operates 655 collection counters across 129 distribution centers.

Maintaining these physical counters costs approximately Rs 597.9 million annually, averaging Rs 50 million per month. The minister stated that adopting digital payments would save citizens time and travel expenses while enhancing financial transparency and security.

By reducing reliance on physical counters, the resources and personnel currently utilized for manual collections could be redirected toward improving other customer services.

“The Nepal Electricity Authority operates 655 collection counters under 129 distribution centers. The annual cost of operating these counters is approximately Rs 597.9 million, which is about Rs 50 million per month,” the minister said via social media.

Minister Shrestha called on the public to assist elderly family members and those unfamiliar with digital systems in learning these processes.

“Especially for parents, senior citizens, and relatives who do not know how to make digital payments, please teach them once. The few minutes of time you spend can save them time every month,” he stated.

He added that this effort is part of a collective mission to simplify services, increase financial transparency, and ensure the effective use of public resources.

He encouraged everyone to teach at least one person how to use digital payment methods, suggesting that such small steps contribute to a larger societal change.