Giving big relief to the State’s urban population, Punjab Local Bodies Department on Wednesday notified a One Time Settlement Policy for the recovery of arrears of water and sewerage charges in the urban local bodies (ULBs).
The State’s Local Bodies Minister Brahm Mohindra said that as per this One Time Settlement Policy, waiver of interest and penalty on arrears of water supply and sewerage charges, tax or fee will be accorded to the citizens if the principal amount payable on the date of notification is paid within a period of three months.
Likewise, the waiver of penalty will be sanctioned only if the principal amount of arrears and interest payment is made after three months from the date of issue of notification but within six months from the date of issue of this notification.
The Local Bodies Minister said that the payable amount will have to be deposited in a lump sum and failure to do so will attract both interest and penalty in addition to disconnection by the concerned Municipal Committees.
Mohindra has also issued instructions for the senior authorities at the ULBs to implement this One Time Settlement Policy in its true spirit.
This policy was long-awaited by the urban population of the State and its implementation would be beneficial both for the Local Bodies Department and for the citizens, he said adding that on one hand, this policy would increase the ULBs’ revenue, on the other, it will provide much-needed relief to the citizens.