Odisha Becomes First State to Implement GCMS for Rural Electricity Management

Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to streamline electricity bill payments at the grassroots level, the Odisha Government, in collaboration with Tata Power Ltd, has introduced the Government Consumer Management System (GCMS) portal and a mobile application. This initiative aims to simplify the bill payment process for Gram Panchayats across the state.

The GCMS portal was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo, while the mobile app was launched by Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik. The project represents a collaborative effort involving the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, the State Informatics Centre (SIC) in Bhubaneswar, and Tata Power Company Limited.

The primary objective of this initiative is to ensure reliable road lighting and drinking water supply in rural areas while enhancing transparency and accountability in bill payments. Historically, Odisha has faced issues with delayed payments and inefficient monitoring systems for electricity bills.

The GCMS portal, integrated with the e-Gram-Swaraj online platform, enables Panchayats to access, approve, and pay electricity bills within a day through a secure OTP system. This streamlined approach is expected to significantly reduce arrears and enhance the efficiency of bill payments.

The application has already undergone successful testing in three village panchayats in the Bhubaneswar block of Khurda district, with positive feedback from users. Odisha is the first state in India to implement such a platform for managing electricity bills at the Panchayat level.

This innovative solution not only simplifies the payment process but also provides a user-friendly method for reporting and resolving electricity bill-related issues, setting a precedent for other states to follow.