The Delhi Government has decided to extend its Late Payment Surcharge (LPSC) Waiver Scheme for water bills until August 15 after it received a strong response from consumers across the city. According to official data, more than 3.30 lakh consumers have already benefited from the scheme, leading to the waiver of nearly ₹1,500 crore in penal interest and the recovery of over ₹430 crore in outstanding principal dues as of January 29.
Officials said the extension was prompted by high public participation and repeated representations from elected leaders, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and consumers. he move is expected to give more residents an opportunity to settle long-pending water bill arrears without the burden of accumulated interest stemming from past billing irregularities.
Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma termed the response an endorsement of transparent governance and systemic reforms.
People are willing to pay their water bills, provided the system is honest and bills are accurate. The scale of participation in this scheme shows that citizens cooperate when fairness is ensured,” he said.
Data released by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) shows that 3,30,908 consumers have availed the scheme so far, with ₹430.26 crore recovered in principal dues, while ₹1,493.70 crore in late payment surcharge has been waived. The government described the initiative as one of the most significant corrective interventions in Delhi’s water billing history.
“For years, residents were weighed down by excessive interest caused by flawed systems. This initiative is not merely about waivers but about correcting long-standing injustice,” Verma added.
Officials pointed out that the current scheme has performed substantially better than the earlier LPSC waiver programme implemented between October 2022 and March 2023, during which only ₹235 crore in principal dues was recovered. In contrast, the ongoing scheme has mobilised nearly double that amount within a considerably shorter period.
“This outcome underlines that transparent administration and sincere intent encourage compliance. The water sector in Delhi is now witnessing a financial turnaround,” the Minister said.
The decision to extend the scheme until August 15 was taken after considering several public-interest factors, including requests from MLAs and public representatives, appeals from RWAs, legacy billing errors from previous administrations, temporary disruptions caused by the reorganisation of Zonal Revenue Offices (ZROs), and the need to provide a final opportunity before stricter enforcement measures are introduced.
“The earlier system generated fear through inflated and erroneous bills. Structural reform takes time, and citizens deserve adequate breathing space,” Verma said.
The government has also drawn attention to substantial arrears from non-domestic consumers, including government departments and private establishments. Nearly 87,000 non-domestic connections reportedly have pending principal dues amounting to more than ₹2,068 crore.
“Accountability will not be limited to households. Large defaulters—whether government entities or private organisations—must clear their dues. Public funds cannot remain blocked due to administrative laxity,” the Minister said. The LPSC Waiver Scheme is increasingly being viewed as a shift away from politically motivated concessions towards sustainable public finance and fiscal responsibility.
“Delhi is transitioning towards a culture of responsibility. Our focus is on long-term stability rather than short-term optics,” Verma said.
