S Dinajpur govt offices to get prepaid meters

BALURGHAT: The South Dinajpur unit of West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited has taken measures to install prepaid meters in all the government offices from the next month of June. Officials said the survey work for launching the new system has been on.

Initially, it has been decided that the prepaid meters will be distributed to all government offices, except state-run hospitals where electricity consumption is much higher, in and around the district.

Sources said the new meters will be ultramodern and problem free.

Officials said the prepaid electricity billing system through the new meter is similar to prepaid mobile connectivity where the consumers have to purchase particular data pack either for voice call or internet services.

Similarly, the government offices from June onwards have to recharge the same for electricity services.

A message before termination of services will be sent from WBSEDCL to the consumers for continuation of connectivity.

Notably, the post paid billing system has been active since WBSEDCL started functioning.

Officials said the concerned department faces losses too due to non-payment of bills by the defaulters particularly in cases of households' connectivity.

Regional official of WBSEDCL Nirmal Biswas said: "Initially we have decided to install the prepaid meters in government offices where electricity consumption is less than 5 kilowatt. Soon, the rest of the government offices and households will be under the same category."