The Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday approved the implementation of a Composite Billing System (CBS) of the BEST Undertaking for all State Government offices as well as government establishments located within the jurisdiction of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, also decided to convert all government electricity connections to the prepaid system with effect from April 1, 2026.
Move Aims to Eliminate Payment Delays and Interest Burden
The new billing mechanism is aimed at ensuring timely payment of electricity bills, thereby eliminating delays that often result in late payment charges and an additional financial burden of 12 to 15 per cent in interest. The Cabinet said the system would also streamline government operations by reducing the manpower required for bill verification, fund allocation, payment processing and reconciliation, making the overall process more transparent and efficient.
Under the Composite Billing System, electricity bills for all government connections will be processed through a single platform. An auto-debit facility will ensure timely payments, preventing penalties and interest arising from delayed bill clearance. The system will also provide a unified dashboard offering real-time information on bills, electricity consumption, outstanding dues, transactions and management information system (MIS) reports.
Go Green Benefits and Tariff Concessions for Prepaid Users
Government offices will additionally benefit from the 'Go Green' initiative, which offers discounts on digital billing, while prepaid electricity connections will be eligible for tariff-related concessions.
As part of the rollout, all government departments have been directed to register on the Composite Billing Portal and complete verification of their electricity connection details within 30 days. The Finance Department will establish the mechanism for advance fund allocation, while the Energy Department will oversee quarterly reconciliation of accounts.
At present, the BEST Undertaking serves 10,017 consumers across 322 authorised billing groups and 869 State Government consumers across 104 groups under its existing coding system. These consumers will be brought under the new billing framework, with provisions to create additional groups whenever required.
The government said the project will be implemented in phases, covering departmental registration, consumer verification, fund allocation, quarterly reconciliation and the final go-live of the system. BEST will provide the required IT infrastructure, including the billing portal, dashboard, MIS facilities and a grievance redressal mechanism to ensure smooth implementation.
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