Rs 9.17 crore rebate availed by 3,635 consumers under water amnesty scheme: Delhi CM

New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday announced that a rebate of Rs 9.17 crore has been availed by 3,635 consumers under the Delhi Jal Board's Water Amnesty Scheme.

The Chief Minister said in a post on X that under the Amnesty scheme, Rs 6.56 crore dues have been paid by water consumers.

On October 14, CM Gupta launched the 'Late Payment Surcharge Waiver Scheme' and the 'Unauthorised Connection Regularisation Scheme' that offered a waiver of the late payment surcharge for domestic water consumers up to 100 per cent.

The surcharge waiver on the payment of outstanding bills is available till January 31, 2026.

"Both these schemes have brought significant relief to the residents of Delhi and will make the water management system more public-friendly and transparent," she said, at the time of sharing details of these two public-oriented schemes.

In a post on X, CM Gupta said, "The government has reduced the penalty for unauthorised domestic consumers from Rs 25,000 to just Rs 1,000, while for commercial connections, it has been reduced from Rs 61,000 to Rs 5,000. This step will also pave the way for connecting millions of consumers to future schemes and an uninterrupted water supply."

She said that while revitalising and modernising the Delhi Jal Board's system, the capital's water distribution system is being made more efficient, accountable, and technology-enabled through a new billing system, transparent revenue management, and the formation of 34 new divisions.

CM Gupta hit out at the previous AAP government for "curbing" the powers of the DJB and "obstructing" development.

"Almost half of Delhi is surviving on unauthorised water pipe connections in unplanned colonies. Earlier, files for development works used to keep shuttling from one desk to another, but actual work did not take place on the ground," said CM Gupta.

On this occasion, PWD Minister Parvesh Verma highlighted the government's efforts to improve the water supply system in the national capital.

--IANS

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