Water Minister Atishi and Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj held a press conference in Delhi to announce a new one-time settlement (OTS) scheme for revising faulty water bills of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) consumers. The scheme, once approved by the Delhi Cabinet, is expected to benefit 40% of DJB consumers who have complained about receiving inflated water bills. The proposal will be presented to the Cabinet by February 14.
In the past, the Delhi government has introduced similar provisions to allow consumers a specific time period to clear their pending bills. Under this new scheme, a revised bill will be generated based on a median reading of the bills from previous years. Consumers can accept the new bill and make payment within the four-month period when the scheme is in effect. Additionally, those using less than 20 kilolitres of water per month will have their bills waived.
To avail of this scheme, consumers must have functional water meters. Those with faulty meters will need to have them replaced. The government estimates that the scheme could generate revenue of ₹2,500 crore.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized the scheme, blaming faulty meters and corruption by DJB officials for the pending bills of many consumers. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva suggested a plan where consumers could receive relief from pending bills by paying a small percentage of the outstanding amount.
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