The Delhi Government has decided to waive late payment surcharges (LPSC) on water bills for domestic consumption and Government establishments starting next month. The move aimed to provide relief to lakhs of households struggling with inflated and overdue water bills.
Announcing this on Friday, Water Minister Parvesh Verma said the waiver scheme, which will run until March 31 next year, will benefit around 29 lakh registered Delhi Jal Board (DJB) customers, besides Government buildings and offices. “Commercial establishments, including private schools and hospitals, are not covered under the scheme,” he said.
Waiver applies only to surcharge, not on the principal amount of bills. DJB currently spends `101 per litre on cleaning and supplying water in Delhi.
According to Verma, of the `16,068 crore due in water bills under the domestic category, `11,069 crore comprises the late payment surcharge, while the rest is the principal amount. In its board meeting, the DJB also decided to reduce the compounding interest on water bills from 5 per cent per billing cycle to 2 per cent per billing cycle.
Explaining the move, the minister said, “For years, Delhiites have been receiving inflated water bills, sometimes running into lakhs, not because of water consumption but because of compounding interest at 5 per cent per month. We have taken a historic step to end this injustice. By reducing the compounding rate to 2 per cent and waiving up to 100 per cent surcharge, we are ensuring fairness, transparency, and relief to the people.”
To ensure maximum participation, DJB will organise awareness and facilitation camps across colonies, where teams will help consumers calculate pending dues, guide them on availing the waiver, and support them in clearing outstanding amounts.
In another move to strengthen compliance, the Government has decided that clearance of water bills will be mandatory for property registration.