On the completion of one year in office this week, the Arvind Kejriwal Government is expected to announce a scheme to waive huge outstanding water bill dues of its core electorates in 1,639 unauthorised colonies. About 11.87 lakh consumers owe about Rs 2,854 crore, including Rs 923 crore as late payment surcharge (lSSC), to the Delhi Jal Board.
The scheme is likely to be made operative from February 15 to July-end. In this scheme, Delhi Jal Board will waive the outstanding dues pending against the water bills of consumers till November 30 last year and the same (the waived amount) would be reimbursed by the Delhi Government to the DJB. However, the benefit of the scheme will be given to only those consumers who have a functional water meter.
Those consumers who will be installing their meters before the closing date of the scheme can also avail the benefit of the scheme. last time, the DJB had offered cent per cent rebate of late payment surcharge and 30 per cent on principal arrears (excluding lPSC) in 2013-14.
Top sources said that the proposal is awaiting final nod of the Delhi Cabinet. According to proposal, the scheme for waiver of cent per cent late payment surcharge (lPSC) and sub-wise waiver on accumulated arrears would be based on the category of
colony on the basis of the MCD House Tax in respect of all domestic individual and bulk water connections.
As per the proposal, in G and H colonies, the entire outstanding will be waived. For E and F categories, there will be a 75% waiver, for C and D there will be a 50% while A and B category colonies will get a 25% waiver.
“It is also proposed that keeping in view the financial condition of the Delhi Jal Board, the Government of NCT of Delhi as per Section 73 of Delhi Water Board Act may reimburse the amount waived under the scheme. Consumers who will install the meter after the commencement of the scheme would be required to submit their representation giving their name, K. No, and document of meter installed showing meter number, make and certificate with the respective zonal revenue office. Waiver of late Payment Surcharge (lPSC) and principal arrear as due and eligible would be given automatically in the ensuing water bill,” the proposal said.
While the Kejriwal Government is already providing 20,000 litres of water free of cost to each household every month. The total annual budget of the DJB is to the tune of about Rs 1,500 crore.
Sources said that though the DJB does not maintain its data based on categorisation of colonies for property tax, it carried out an intense exercise to classify and tag the revenue consumer database of the Board for effective implementation of the scheme.
And, in case, if the rebate is not reflected in subsequent water bill in-spite of fulfilling the conditions by the consumer, the same would be granted by their areas joint director or deputy director of the Revenue Department.