First time in Karnataka: Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat rolls out digital water bill payment in 23 panchayats on a pilot basis

Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat has rolled out digital mode of water bill generation and collection in 23 gram panchayats on a pilot basis for the first time in Karnataka. This is set to be extended to the remaining 200 panchayats shortly, according to the Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Narwade Vinayak Karbhari.

Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat has rolled out digital mode of water bill generation and collection in 23 gram panchayats on a pilot basis for the first time in Karnataka. This is set to be extended to the remaining 200 panchayats shortly, according to the Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Narwade Vinayak Karbhari.

“The digital payment system was rolled out on Tuesday. Once we get clearance from the Finance Department, we will extend the same to the remaining 200 panchayats,” Mr. Karbhari said.

The CEO said the water meter reader records the meter reading on the handheld ‘Point of Sale’ (POS) machine and the bill gets generated. The meter reader can collect cash and issue receipt to the payee on the spot. Just like electricity bill, the water bill can be paid by scanning QR code through payment apps or credit cards, using Bharath Bill Payment System (BBPS). The amount paid gets credited to Village Waste and Sanitation Committee account of the panchayat.

There are as many as 15,000 water connections in the 23 panchayats. Majority of these connections have volumetric water meters recently installed under Jal Jeevan Mission programme, while there were also meters installed earlier by panchayats. The bills for the volumetric meter connections will be based on the meter reading. A fixed charge of ₹200, as decided by the panchayat, will be collected from connections having old water meter.

Details of all the 15,000 water connections have been uploaded to BBPS. The Union Bank of India has provided two POS machines for each of the 23 panchayats.

Mr. Karbhari said a letter has been written to Finance Department seeking its approval for opening accounts of 200 panchayat sanitation committees in the Union Bank of India, to enable digital water bill payment across all panchayats.