New Delhi: Seeking to clear the confusion over Conditional Access System (CAS), government on July 8 said it will ensure that all cable TV consumers get a "honeymoon" time of Rs 72 plus taxes for all channels, including pay, from August till the time their zones get notified for CAS in the four metros.

Highly placed sources in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said government would stick to the agreement reached at last week's meeting at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and not give in to the broadcasters' proposal that the waiver would be given to each zone for only a month before it gets notified.

Government is likely to issue a notification in a day or two for a zone-wise roll-out of CAS from September one in the three metros giving its first taste to South Delhi, South Mumbai and one zone of Kolkata and probably another for the whole of Chennai.

Meanwhile, an apex body of Consumer fora in Delhi on July 8 met Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and raised concerns about consumer redressal.

"The proposal for a consumer court has been brought to my notice and it has merit. I have assured them consumer interest is paramount," Prasad told reporters later.

Describing the meeting as "meaningful", Prasad said the Delhi residents welfare association joint front had expressed the desire for an active role in the CAS implementation.

Representatives of the front said they had told the Minister that they were not opposed to CAS but had presented several concerns before him, including monopoly of the cable operators, advertisements on pay channels and "exploitation" by broadcasters.

PTI