Customers wait for cut in cable TV rate promised by CM, but operators confused

Madurai: Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s announcement that the tariff for the Arasu Cable Television would be reduced to Rs 130 per month, has attracted the attention of many people. However, cable television operators said that this would not be possible as it is the Telecom Regulatory Authorityof India which regulates tariff.

Increase in the price of cable television tariff caused disappointment to lakhs of television viewers in Madurai, as they had been paying about Rs 150 per month till January this year, and it went up to more than Rs 250 including paid channels when the TRAI regulations were implemented from February onwards.

N Shanthakumari, a housewife said that the cable television was their only entertainment as they would rarely go for movies with her husband’s low wage and that they had to give up the connection for two months after the new tariff was announced. “My son told me that he saw in the newspaper that the fee had been reduced and I was very happy,” she said.

Reduction in the tariff of the cable television cost from the current Rs 177 for the basic package to Rs 154 was an announcement that caught the attention of many. Deepa Kumari, a teacher said that her maid was elated after hearing the news. “For them about Rs 50 makes a big change in their monthly budget,” she said.

R Amalraj, president of Tamil Nadu Cable Owners Association, Madurai district, said that he had received many phone calls from customers, who had wanted to know when the new tariff would come into effect. “We have asked them to wait till August 10, when the government has said it would come out with the details on how it plans to go about the reduction,” he said.

However, cable television operators including Amalraj said that reducing the tariff for Tamil Nadu alone could lead to confusion like the NEET examination. “Hence, we are telling our customers that we are also waiting for a clearer view from the government,” he said.