Delhi to launch one-time settlement scheme to clear water bill arrears

Recently, the Delhi Government announced a one-time settlement scheme, which will help 11.7 lakh consumers to clear their water bills, according to media reports. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the government would implement the scheme from August 1, 2023. The consumers will receive the corrected bills after that.

The CM said there were 27.6 lakh domestic water consumers in Delhi. Of these, about 11.7 lakh bills had arrears and had not been submitted. The arrears are to the tune of Rs 5,737 crore, he added.

The scheme would be divided into two subheads – one will cover those with two or more correct readings and the other bill will cover those with one or no correct meter reading. If the government had undertaken to correct every bill, it would have taken more than 100 years to rectify those, mention media reports. Under this scheme, the government will settle bills for about 11.7 lakh consumers will be. Out of this, about seven lakh consumers will get zero bills, the CM said.

The CM further added that the one-time settlement scheme was approved by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and would come to the cabinet soon. After the implementation of the scheme, the consumers would be given three months to pay their bills. If they fail to pay the bills within the stipulated time, they will have to pay the bills with arrears. The government is also taking measures to stop incorrect meter readings, he said.

How to check DJB water bill?

Delhi residents can visit the official portal of the DJB at https://delhijalboard.delhi.gov.in/ and click on ‘View/Print Latest Bill’ from the menu options. A new page will open where users must mention the KNO number on the Delhi Jal Board Site. The page will display the latest bill. The KNO number is a unique 13-digit number, which is alphanumeric. It contains the water connection number mentioned on the Delhi Jal Board bill, without any brackets or space.

See also: Delhi Jal Board Bill: How to register, download and check bills online?

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