An exclusive pre-paid plan for the paramilitary personnel was launched by the Madurai branch of public sector telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd in Madurai.

BSNL General Manager, S E Rajam, said during the launch late on Tuesday that personnel from all the 18 para military forces could use the scheme. The plan would be useful for personnel when they were deployed in remote and border areas, away from their home town, she said.

The scheme allows personnel to make free calls for a combined 20 minutes a day to two BSNL numbers -- mobile or wireless and landline numbers. Roaming charges will not apply to this scheme. If the talktime exceeds 20 minutes a day, they would pay one paise per second. The SIMs for both 2G and 3G will be available under the scheme.

Rajam said personnel would soon be provided with either the 2G SIM card, costing Rs 20 along with a first recharge coupon (FRC) for Rs 31 and the 3G SIM card, costing Rs 59 along with a FRC for Rs 32. As many as 50 national and 50 local SMS are also free per month.

The Railway Protection Force would be given the cards first as a goodwill gesture. The cards will be activated from tomorrow, Rajam said. The first SIM card was handed over to RPF offical F Philips Jayakumar.