Govt to install 22.8 lakh prepaid gas meters

The government has decided to install 22.8 lakh prepaid gas meters in the country, aimed at preventing the wastage of natural gas.

"The government under different projects will install prepaid gas meters to prevent wastage of gas during its use at different holdings," Energy and Mineral Resources Secretary Abubakar Siddique told the news agency yesterday.

He said consumers of the natural gas under these projects would get more financial benefits by using the prepaid meters, compared to their use in the previous system.

Officials said 15 lakh prepaid gas meters would be installed in areas of the Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, while 4.60 lakh others in areas of the Karnaphuli Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited.

Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited will introduce 1 lakh prepaid gas meters, while Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited will install 2.2 lakh.

Besides, they said, projects are being implemented to install 2 lakh prepaid gas meters for the residential consumers in the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited areas in Dhaka and 60,000 others in the Karnaphuli Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited in Chittagong.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has provided finance for implementation of the two projects.

Meanwhile, the officials said, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited has already installed 9,100 prepaid meters under a pilot project in the Titas areas.

They said the government has installed prepaid meters in different areas on a pilot basis.

Energy and Mineral Resources Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources took the project.

The primary proposal of the project is now under scrutiny, an official said.