Water Minister Atishi on Friday announced a fresh one-time settlement (OTS) scheme for revising faulty water bills of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) consumers.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi alongside Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, Ms. Atishi said once the proposal is approved by the Delhi Cabinet, it is expected to benefit 40% of DJB consumers, who complain about being saddled with inflated water bills.
Mr. Bharadwaj said he has directed that the proposal be presented to the Cabinet by February 14.
The Delhi government has announced similar provisions over the past few years to offer consumers a specific time period to clear their pending bills.
Under this scheme, a new bill with the revised amount will be generated based on a median reading of the bills over the past few years.
The consumers may accept the new bill and pay it during the four-month period when the scheme will be in force.
The bills of those using less than 20 kilolitres a month will be waived.
“To avail of this scheme, it is mandatory for consumers to have functional water meters. Those with faulty meters will have to get their meters replaced,” Ms. Atishi told reporters.
Mr. Bharadwaj said the scheme could unlock a revenue of ₹2,500 crore for the government.
BJP hits out
Reacting to the announcment, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that faulty meters and corruption by DJB officials were to be blamed for the pending bills of lakhs of consumers.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the government brings a scheme for the settlement of water bills before every election, but its benefits never reach the public. “The government should introduce a plan where consumers can get relief from pending bills by paying 7% to 10% of the pending amount.”
