• Source:JND
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Delhi News: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced two major initiatives for Delhi residents ahead of Diwali, the Late Payment Surcharge Waiver Scheme and the Unauthorised Connection Regularisation Scheme. The announcement was made at the Delhi Secretariat in the presence of Water Minister Pravesh Verma.

The Chief Minister said the move aims to provide relief to households struggling with pending water bills and to improve efficiency in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which has been facing heavy financial losses. The Delhi government noted that the DJB’s total outstanding amount has reached Rs 87,589 crore, of which Rs 80,463 crore is unpaid interest.

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Interest On Pending Water Bills Reduced from 5 per cent to 2 per cent Per Cycle

Under the new plan, the interest rate on pending water bills has been reduced significantly. Earlier, a 5 per cent compounding interest per billing cycle was charged, which has now been cut to 2 per cent per cycle. This means that an unpaid bill of Rs 100, which would previously have grown to Rs 170 in a year, will now only reach Rs 130.

Consumers who clear their outstanding bills by January 31, 2026 will receive a 100 per cent waiver on the interest amount, while those who pay by March 31, 2026 will be eligible for a 70 per cent waiver. The government will also organise special camps across Delhi to help citizens settle their dues under the scheme.

Full Waiver On Interest For Payments Made By January 31, 2026

Chief Minister Gupta said the scheme will remain valid until January 31 and will not be extended further. “Today is a happy occasion for Delhiites. The government is implementing a waiver scheme that will provide major relief to people struggling with water bills. The Delhi government is going to waive surcharges worth Rs 11,000 crore,” she said, adding that timely bill-payers will be rewarded through future incentive programmes.

Unauthorised Water Connections Can Be Legalised for Rs 1,000

The government has also launched a regularisation drive for unauthorised water connections, which can now be made legal by paying a one-time fee of just Rs 1,000. The initiative aims to address the long-standing issue of illegal water usage in the capital.

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Government To Hold Camps Across Delhi for Bill Settlement

Water Minister Pravesh Verma said there are currently 2.9 million registered water consumers in Delhi, less than half the number of electricity consumers, indicating the need to expand the connection network. “This shows how neglected the system was under the previous government. We are working to improve it,” he said.

Taking a swipe at the Aam Aadmi Party, CM Gupta criticised the former administration for failing to address water management issues. She said 34 new divisions of the Delhi Jal Board will be created to strengthen operations and ensure better service delivery.

Promising cleaner water bodies, the Chief Minister added, “This time, the people of Delhi will not see foam in the Yamuna.