New Delhi Oct 14 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta today officially launched a scheme to fully waive Late Payment Surcharge (LPSC) and penalties on the water bills for domestic consumers of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
Gupta said that the scheme for the complete waiver of the penalties and surcharge is valid till January 31 next year.
“The LPSC waiver scheme and the unauthorized connections regularisation scheme begins today,” Gupta stated.
Addressing a press conference today at the Delhi secretariat, Gupta said that up to January 31, the LPSC and penalties will be fully waived, but after that, between February 1 to March 31, the waiver will be 70 per cent.
According to CM, both the schemes will provide big relief for the residents of the national capital, and also make the water management system more citizen-centric and transparent.
Gupta said the government has reduced the penalty for unauthorized domestic consumers from Rs 25,000 to just Rs 1,000, and for commercial connections, it has been reduced from Rs 61,000 to Rs 5,000.
This is part of DJB’s efforts and approval of the measures to bring lakhs of unauthorised water connections into the legal fold, where under the domestic category, the fee has been reduced from approximately Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,000.
In the non-domestic category, charges cut from approximately Rs 61,000 to Rs 5,000, and the scheme is open till March 31, 2026.
She said the step will also pave the way for connecting millions of consumers to future plans and uninterrupted water supply in the city. The CM said by reviving and modernizing the DJB’s system, with a new technology enabled billing system, the water distribution system in the Capital is being made more efficient and accountable. As many as 34 new divisions are also being formed to boost the system, and make it more capable.
She said the government is also working on bringing a scheme to appreciate those consumers of the DJB who pay their bills on time, while surcharge and penalties will only be put on those who do not comply.
The CM said the government will also be reducing the penalties or the surcharge, which she said was high at five per cent with compounding interest, and the same will be reduced to two per cent.
