Delhi Jal Board collects Rs 6.56 crore under surcharge waiver scheme

New Delhi, Oct 17 (PTI) The late payment surcharge waiver (LPSC) scheme of the Delhi Jal Board has received a strong public response, with the board collecting Rs 6.56 crore in principal amount and waiving Rs 9.17 crore in penalties, Water Minister Parvesh Verma said on Friday.

According to officials, 3,635 consumers have availed the scheme so far, which was launched by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday.

"This overwhelming participation shows the growing sense of responsibility among Delhi’s citizens. The LPSC rebate scheme was introduced to help consumers settle their old dues without the burden of heavy penalties," Verma said.

He said thousands of residents have come forward to clear their pending bills, adding that transparent and people-centric governance builds public trust.

The scheme offers waivers on late payment surcharges for consumers who clear their old dues voluntarily. It mainly targets domestic consumers with long-pending arrears.

Digital payments under the scheme have been steadily rising, reflecting the success of making the billing and payment systems more citizen-friendly, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials said.

"Every rupee collected will flow back into improving Delhi's water system. The funds will be earmarked for maintenance of water supply lines, augmentation of treatment plants, and the ongoing replacement of old pipelines across Delhi," the water minister added.

Officials said the government aims to recover Rs 5,000 crore in pending dues of the DJB, waiving late payment surcharge amounts to the tune of Rs 11,000 crore.

Chief Minister Gupta had announced a complete waiver on late payment surcharges till January 31 next year, followed by a 70 per cent waiver between February 1 and March 31, 2026. PTI SSM SSM ANM OZ OZ