Govt mulls prepaid gas meters for all households
The government is planning to bring all the residential natural gas consumers under the coverage of prepaid meters.
If the plan is implemented, it will help reduce pressure from the natural gas, officials said.
Yesterday, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD) held an evaluation meeting in this regard with the top officials of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited (TGTDCL) and Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Ltd.
According to Petobangla, there are 44 lakh residential consumers using natural gas for cooking. Of them, around 4 lakh consumers are using prepaid meters.
The meeting -- presided over by EMRD Senior Secretary Mahbub Hossain -- discussed the proposal of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) on financial aid to set up the meters.
"It was an internal meeting. Discussions took place on the companies' opinions on the [financial aid] proposals but no decision was taken," said Petrobangla Chairman Nazmul Ahsan.
Sources said the government got proposals from big multilateral lenders, including World Bank and ADB.
Seeking anonymity, a Titas top official said the government wants to bring residential consumers under prepaid meter coverage keeping the companies' capacity and profits in mind.
Titas is considering providing prepaid meters to 7 lakh more consumers.
A consumer can easily pass a month with Tk 500 to Tk 600 with prepaid meters, whereas they have to pay Tk 990 for a single burner and Tk 1,080 for a double burner, he said.
"It will be economical from the consumers' end but companies may lose revenue. However, the country will be benefitted as a whole by reducing pressure on natural gas," he added.
A Petrobangla official, however, sees benefit in setting up prepaid meters. "Companies will not lose revenues because they will be paid in advance," he said, seeking anonymity.
Comments