New Delhi: Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh announced on Friday an extension of the Late Payment Surcharge Waiver Scheme for domestic water consumers till August 15.
He said the LPSC Waiver Scheme is receiving an overwhelming response from citizens, and more than 3.30 lakh consumers have already availed the scheme, leading to the waiver of nearly Rs 1,500 crore in penal interest, while over Rs 430 crore in principal dues has been successfully collected till January 29.
He said, buoyed by the strong public participation and on the demand of elected representatives, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), and consumers across Delhi, the government has now decided to extend the LPSC Waiver Scheme till August 15.
Parvesh Sahib Singh termed the response as a clear rejection of past misgovernance and a strong endorsement of reform-driven administration.
“The people of Delhi want to pay their water bills. What they want is honesty, transparency, and correct billing. This massive response to the LPSC Waiver Scheme proves that Delhi’s citizens are responsible and ready to cooperate when the system is fair,” said Parvesh Sahib Singh.
“For years, citizens were trapped under massive interest burdens created by faulty systems. We have broken that cycle. This scheme is not about waivers – it is about correcting injustice,” the Minister added.
He said the government has also taken serious note of the massive pending dues from non-domestic consumers, including government offices and private establishments.
Nearly 87,000 non-domestic connections have outstanding principal dues of over Rs 2,068 crore, reflecting years of weak enforcement and financial mismanagement.
The Water Minister made it clear that accountability will now extend beyond households.
“Reforms will not stop with domestic consumers. Large defaulters, whether government departments or private entities, must clear their principal dues. Public money cannot be allowed to remain blocked because of administrative negligence,” said the Minister.
Officials pointed out that compared to the earlier domestic LPSC waiver scheme between October 2022 and March 2023 – where only Rs 235 crore in principal was collected – the current scheme has already mobilised nearly double the amount in a much shorter time.
“This clearly shows that when governance is clean and intentions are honest, people come forward. Delhi is witnessing a financial turnaround in the water sector,” said Parvesh Sahib Singh.
He said the extension of the scheme till August 15 was based on several public-interest factors, including requests from MLAs and public representatives; written appeals from RWAs across Delhi; legacy billing errors from previous regimes; reorganisation of ZRO offices causing temporary delays, and the need to give citizens a final fair chance before strict enforcement.
“The previous system created fear through inflated and faulty bills. We are fixing that broken structure. But reform takes time, and citizens deserve breathing space. That is why we have extended the scheme,” the Minister stated.
(IANS)
