Bengal Seb To Launch Pre-Paid Cards For Consumers

Ever heard of pre-paid cards to buy electrical energy?

Such high-tech cards will be introduced in selected urban areas of West Bengal before the end of 1998. This is expected to revolutionise the concept of purchase and supply of power in the country.

Under the scheme finalised by the West Bengal State Electricity Board (WBSEB), pre-paid cards of different values will be made available to any consumer first from selected outlets of the Board and then from thousands of retail outlets including grocers' shops.

These cards will be inserted into specially designed electrical meters at the consumers' premise. The card will last as long as the consumer does not exaust the quantum of energy he has bought through the pre-paid card.

The specially designed meter will give advance warning through an alarm as well as light indicator that the card is nearing its end.

All new consumers in urban areas will gradually be brought under this scheme. Each meter will cost between Rs 6000 to Rs 8000. WBSEB will finance purchase of these high cost meters from either the Power Finance Corporation, or, the West Bengal Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBIIDC).

The cards will be of two types. One will be priced at round figure amounts like Rs 100 or Rs 300 or so on.

The other variety will be priced on the quantum of energy a consumer prefers to buy. From the consumers' point of view, the cost remains the same. But, the two types of cards will give them a choice of calculating in the manner that he prefers.