KARACHI, Sept 14: Around three million utility bills worth over Rs2.4 billion have been paid through the kiosks installed by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) during the last 10 months.

In a statement issued here on Friday, Nadra said that franchising of these kiosks had also helped increase the bill payments through these kiosks. The authority had already awarded over 75 franchise licences in Karachi, Faisalabad and Multan.

Through franchising the kiosks had been offered to educated youth and small businessmen, who could either manage the already operational kiosk sites or could install kiosks at their own locations, it said, adding that the franchisees had been earning up to Rs20,000 a month through these kiosks.

The statement said that the Nadra had been providing kiosk operational support including software and networking, troubleshooting, hardware maintenance, cash handling and training of franchise personnel.

Nadra has also installed these kiosks at its swift registration centres and customer facilitation and service centres at the union council levels as well. Over 178 kiosks are operational throughout the country.