Scheme to waive water bill surcharge extended till August 15: Parvesh

The Delhi government will extend the late payment surcharge (LPSC) waiver scheme for water bills till August 15 to give residents more time to clear long-pending dues without paying heavy interest, Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said on Friday.

In September last year, Mr. Singh had announced 100% waiver of LPSC on water bills for all domestic and government consumers under a one-time amnesty scheme that was to run till January 31, 2026. 

Over 3.3 lakh consumers have already availed themselves of the scheme, leading to waiver of nearly ₹1,500 crore in penal interest, Mr. Singh said. More than ₹430 crore in principal dues was collected till January 29, he added.

“For years, citizens were trapped under massive interest burdens created by faulty systems. We have broken that cycle. This scheme is not about waivers, but correcting injustice. 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 said.

‘Failed in execution’

The Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that the scheme has “failed in design and execution”.

AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that the “so-called reform” has led to the recovery of just 8.5% of outstanding dues. He added that it exposed the “hollowness” of a scheme projected as a “governance masterstroke”.

“Of the ₹5,057 crore pending principal amount, only ₹430 crore has been recovered so far,” read a statement from the party.