On August 13, 2024, the Government Consumer Management System (GCMS) was officially launched by Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, and Shri Rabi Narayan Naik, Hon’ble Minister of Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, at Lokseva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar. Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, NIC, and Tata Power, the GCMS introduces an innovative platform for managing electricity payments across Odisha’s 6,794 Gram Panchayats.
With Odisha becoming the first state to integrate NIC’s eGramSwaraj ap plication with Tata Power’s billing system, the platform enables Gram Pan chayats to pay their electricity bills online, making the payment process more efficient and transparent. This integration also enhances the ability of distribution companies (DISCOMs) to track pending payments, promoting better service delivery and good governance.
The launch event was attended by key officials, including Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani, Principal Secretary of Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Depart ment, Shri Saswat Mishra, Principal Secretary of Energy Department, and Dr. Ashok Kumar Hota, Deputy Director General of NIC Odisha. Shri Sanjay Banga, President of Tata Power, participated virtually, expressing gratitude to the government departments and NIC for making this initiative a success.
Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo emphasized the importance of GCMS in promoting digital governance, while Shri Rabi Narayan Naik highlighted its role in improving service delivery for rural areas. Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani noted that this pioneering step would greatly enhance e-Governance at the grassroots level and set an example for other states. The Ministry of Pancha yati Raj has already encouraged other states to adopt similar integrations for their own eGramSwaraj portals.
