After Centre’s GST bonanza, Delhi government may waive your water bills this year as Diwali gift

To ease the burden on lakhs of households facing inflated and overdue water bills, the Delhi government is likely to roll out a one-time amnesty scheme this Diwali to waive late payment surcharges, a senior official said. The plan has already received in-principle approval, reported TOI.

The scheme will first be rolled out for domestic consumers only, not commercial ones, the official said, adding that the software upgrade for its launch is in the final stages. "Once the new system is operational, the rollout will begin. The move will ease the strain on users grappling with long-standing billing disputes," he said.
An estimated 16 lakh of the 27 lakh consumers registered with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) have received inflated bills in recent years. Many stopped paying after raising concerns, leading to a dip in the utility’s revenue. The previous AAP government had promised a one-time settlement scheme but failed to implement it. In July this year, Water Minister Parvesh Verma announced that the BJP-led Delhi government would waive late payment surcharges on inflated water bills.


"If the person fails to pay even then, they will not get another chance. Past arrears and late payment surcharges added to the current bills were one of the main reasons for the high bills. Once these are waived, the bill will come down significantly," a senior official told ToI.

A key feature of the initiative will be automatic recalculation of bills, eliminating the need for customers to visit DJB offices for individual corrections, said the official. The streamlined process will enhance user convenience and encourage the settlement of outstanding payments, reported ToI.

DJB records show that commercial users owe Rs 66,000 crore, while domestic consumers have dues of Rs 15,000 crore. Delhi government departments together owe Rs 33,295 crore, and central government agencies another Rs 29,723.37 crore.

Among central entities, Indian Railways tops the list with Rs 21,530 crore, followed by Delhi Police with Rs 6,097 crore. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi also owes Rs 26,147 crore. A one-time settlement scheme is expected to provide major relief to the board, with projected recoveries of around Rs 2,500 crore.

(with TOI inputs)