Delhi: Kejriwal Announces One-Time Settlement Scheme To Clear Water Bill Arrears Of 11.7 Lakh Consumers

The Delhi Jal Board cleared the one-time water bill settlement scheme on Tuesday. All domestic consumers will get a new bill and they will have to pay accordingly.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has announced a one-time settlement scheme to clear arrears in domestic water bills accumulated due to faulty readings and other reasons.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government has announced a one-time settlement scheme to settle water bills. The Chief Minister said that the Union Territory had accumulated a huge amount over pending water bills. "There are 27.6 lakh domestic water consumers in Delhi. Under this one-time settlement, about 11.7 lakh consumers will be benefitted. Out of this, bills of about 7 lakh consumers will be zero after using 20,000 litres of water," Kejriwal said.

The total accumulated arrears for Delhi's domestic water consumption amount to Rs 5,737 crore. Kejriwal said that bills have been pending due to several reasons, such as wrong meter readings, errors in the entry of figures, non-payment due to faulty accumulation of arrears, etc. "Had we tried to rectify every bill, it would have taken us 100 years. Hence, this one-time settlement," he said. The scheme will be implemented on August 1 for three months.

The Delhi Jal Board cleared the scheme on Tuesday. All domestic consumers will get a new bill and they will have to pay accordingly. If a consumer fails to take advantage of the scheme till October, s/he will have to pay the previous accumulated bill.

Kejriwal said that such a situation had arised due to the people engaged to take the meter readings. "They either took wrong meter readings or did not visit the sites at all. We are taking action on them. The issue of faulty meter readings needs to stop now," Kejriwal said.

Earlier in the day, Arvind Kejriwal targeted both the BJP and the Congress over the state of educational institutes in Delhi. He accused the parties of neglecting education during their respective tenures in Delhi. Speaking at the inauguration of a government school building in Uttam Nagar, Kejriwal emphasized that the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) primary focus is on providing quality education to children. 

Kejriwal highlighted that the newly inaugurated school had been operating under makeshift structures since its establishment in 1985. He asserted that while other political parties failed to prioritize the construction of good schools, the AAP has made it a cornerstone of their politics. Kejriwal expressed pride in the excellent facilities available in government schools in Delhi, stating that many parents have chosen to enroll their children in these institutions instead of private schools.

He also outlined the AAP's commitment to improving the conditions of the schools under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Additionally, Kejriwal emphasized the importance of creating job opportunities for youth and mentioned the 'Business Blasters' programme, which aims to prepare students for entrepreneurial endeavors. The event proceeded smoothly despite the absence of Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena. Atishi, Delhi's Education Minister, confirmed that the LG was invited and stated that the program would be held again in two weeks, inviting him to attend and take credit if he wishes.