Delhi Government Extends Water Bill Late Payment Surcharge Waiver Scheme to August 15
The Delhi government has announced a significant extension of its one-time Late Payment Surcharge (LPSC) waiver scheme on water bills, moving the deadline from January 31 to August 15. This decision comes in response to ongoing billing system challenges and numerous public requests for more time to settle outstanding dues.
Scheme Details and Extension Rationale
Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh made the official announcement on Friday, highlighting that the extension aims to provide domestic consumers with additional flexibility to clear their principal water bill amounts. The scheme, originally introduced in October last year, offers a complete waiver of LPSC charges for those who pay their principal dues by the new August 15 deadline.
Key aspects of the extended scheme include:
- Full 100% LPSC waiver for payments made by August 15
- Reduced 70% waiver for payments completed between August 16 and March 31
- Focus on domestic consumers with pending water bill dues
Implementation Progress and Challenges
Since the scheme's implementation, approximately 330,000 consumers—representing over 20% of water bill account holders—have already taken advantage of the benefits. According to Minister Singh, these consumers have received rebates totaling Rs 1,493 crore, while the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has collected Rs 430 crore in principal payments.
The minister acknowledged significant technical hurdles in the billing system that have prevented some consumers from accessing the scheme. "We observed that there are problems in our billing system also, due to which people who want to pay bills and avail the scheme are unable to do so," Singh explained. The DJB is actively working to resolve these software issues to ensure consumers receive updated bills reflecting the waived surcharges.
Public Response and Recovery Targets
The government received numerous written requests from Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), public representatives, and individual citizens seeking an extension of the scheme deadline. This public demand, combined with the technical challenges, prompted the administration to grant the additional seven-month window.
Minister Singh revealed ambitious recovery targets, noting that the total pending water bill amount stands at Rs 11,000 crore. Through this waiver scheme, the government aims to recover Rs 5,570 crore in principal amounts from the over 16 lakh domestic customers with outstanding dues.
Future Initiatives and Consumer Outreach
To facilitate easier compliance, the Delhi government plans to establish special camps and water Lok Adalats where consumers can resolve billing-related issues on the spot. Minister Singh appealed to all eligible consumers to come forward and settle their principal amounts to benefit from the LPSC waiver.
The government anticipates a substantial increase in recoveries following the next billing cycle, once the software fixes are implemented and consumers receive their updated bills. This extension represents a strategic effort to balance revenue recovery with consumer convenience while addressing systemic billing challenges.
