Delhi govt depts owe ₹63,000 crore in water dues to DJB, shows data
₹ 63,000 crore in water dues to DJB, shows data
According to the bill pendency report, seen by HT, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has reported bill pendency from 18 government departments — 10 under the central government and eight under the state — with nearly equal contribution to the mounting arrears. Of the total amount, ₹33,295.79 crore is owed by Delhi government departments, while ₹29,723.37 crore is pending from central agencies.
The biggest defaulter, the report states, is the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), with around ₹26,147 crore pending against 671 water connections — accounting for over 41% of the total dues.
Among Delhi government departments, the health department follows with ₹6,684 crore pending across 544 connections, while DSIIDC ( ₹269 crore), the education department ( ₹31.9 crore), and the public works department ( ₹86.7 crore) are also listed among key defaulters.
Among central government departments, the Railways top the list with dues of ₹21,530 crore, followed by Delhi Police with ₹6,097 crore across 354 connections, and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) with ₹372.8 crore in arrears.
Responding to the issue, Delhi water minister Parvesh Verma said, 'Water is a shared responsibility, and ensuring its uninterrupted supply requires collective effort. Resolving these financial bottlenecks will significantly strengthen our capacity to maintain and improve the city's water infrastructure. We are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure timely solutions in the best interest of every Delhi resident.'
On July 3, the government announced in-principle approval to waive 100% of the late payment surcharge (LPSC) on pending bills for domestic consumers. However, a decision on dues from government and commercial users — which make up the bulk of DJB's outstanding revenue — is still pending, officials said.
According to officials familiar with the matter, DJB is also owed around ₹66,000 crore by commercial users and ₹15,000 crore by domestic users.
A significant portion of the total pendency is due to the steep penalties applied through LPSC, which is currently calculated at 18% compound interest. The government is reportedly considering moving away from this model and reducing surcharge rates to prevent inflated billing.
The issue of unpaid government water bills is longstanding. In 2020, the then administration had flagged the issue, but officials say payment disputes persist due to misclassification of connections under commercial categories, and unresolved discrepancies from unmetered or non-functional connections.
DJB officials said reconciliation of records is underway and a revenue management software upgrade is in progress. The amnesty scheme is expected to launch within the next two months. The government also plans to increase the number of metered connections and phase out faulty mechanical meters in favour of smart meters, in a bid to reduce manual interference and improve billing accuracy.
HT reached out to MCD, CPWD and Delhi Police on the issue, but it did not receive a response from them.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
2 hours ago
- Economic Times
Salary of Mumbai cook, who spends just 30 minutes making meals per house, is more than what many corporate workers earn
iStock A Cook Earning More Than Corporate Employees? Mumbai Lawyer's Post Sparks Conversation A recent post by Mumbai-based lawyer Ayushi Doshi has drawn significant attention online after she shared details about her household cook's impressive earnings. According to Doshi, the cook, often referred to as a 'maharaj,' charges Rs 18,000 per household and spends no more than half an hour at each home. He manages to work in around 10 to 12 flats within the same residential complex every day. This efficient system not only saves him travel time but also ensures a consistent and substantial monthly to X, the lawyer wrote, "My Maharaj (Cook): Charges Rs 18k per house. Max 30 mins per house. 10–12 houses daily. Free food & free chai everywhere. Gets paid on time or leaves without a goodbye. Meanwhile, I'm out here saying 'gentle reminder' with trembling hands with minimum salary..." — AyushiiDoshiii (@AyushiiDoshiii) Speaking to the Hindustan Times , Doshi acknowledged that many people find the cook's rates surprising, but she emphasized that his cooking skills and speed justify the cost. Despite his short work duration per house, she believes the value he provides makes it worth the price. "Of course, not all cooks charge that much; many charge 10-12k as well. But if someone is really good, efficient, and has built a reputation, they can charge a premium. The cook I mentioned is known in our entire locality for almost 10 years, & the families trust him completely. Good cooks with solid reputations charge that much, and people are willing to pay because they deliver quality, consistency, and speed," she told HT. The cook's method of working exclusively in one apartment complex allows him to streamline his schedule while maximizing earnings. He receives free meals and tea at every home, gets paid on time, and chooses not to return to households that delay payment. With an established clientele in a single location, he doesn't waste time commuting across the city, a luxury many service professionals do not have. Doshi pointed out that the cook's reputation has grown over nearly a decade, earning the trust of multiple families in her further elaborated that while Rs 18,000 may sound excessive for two meals daily in one household, this rate is not uncommon in well-off neighborhoods of Mumbai. Doshi added that depending on their skills and popularity, other experienced cooks charge between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000. However, those who are well-known for their consistency, hygiene, and speed often command higher post sparked widespread discussion online. Some social media users were skeptical about whether a full meal could be prepared in just 30 minutes. One user, with years of personal cooking experience, expressed doubt that traditional Indian dishes could be completed in such a short span without assistance. Others drew comparisons to full-time domestic workers who handle multiple tasks—cooking, cleaning, laundry, and shopping—for lesser netizen shared that their housekeeper, who performs a variety of chores including cooking meals similar to those from a 4-star kitchen, earns Rs 25,000 per month as a full-time staff member. The contrast between that and Rs 18,000 for half an hour of cooking led some to joke about how LinkedIn influencers might now have competition from domestic clarified that her intention wasn't just to highlight the cook's earnings. Instead, she hoped to shed light on the deeper issue of how work-life balance and job satisfaction vary across professions. She observed that despite having multiple academic degrees, working long hours in high-stress corporate jobs, and sacrificing weekends, many white-collar employees struggle to earn as much as the cook. Even when they do, they often lack the flexibility and peace of mind that come with such freelance or skill-based jobs."The reason I made the post wasn't just to talk about his income. My point was something deeper… that today, even after getting multiple degrees, working long hours in a corporate job, handling work stress, meeting deadlines, being available on weekends, and barely getting time for yourself, many people still don't earn what he does," she told HT. She added that the real takeaway from her post is not a comparison between corporate and domestic work but a call to acknowledge how professional landscapes are shifting. With skilled labor becoming more valued, people in traditional desk jobs might need to reevaluate their definitions of success and dignity of labor. Doshi concluded by emphasizing the importance of respecting all professions, regardless of whether they involve a formal title or an office setting.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Ajnala police station attack: Court frames charges against 41, including 9 Amritpal aides
A local court in Amritsar on Thursday framed charges against 41 accused, including nine close aides of jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, in the Ajnala police station attack case. Supporters of Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh clashing with police personnel in Ajnala. (HT File) The accused, including nine aides of the jailed MP, were produced in the court of additional session judge Parinder Singh amid tight security. The radical Sikh leader, who heads Waris Punjab De (WPD), is still lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam after his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) was extended by a year. The rest of his aides have been brought back to the state to face trial in various cases after the Punjab government revoked their detentions under the NSA in March and April. Among those produced in court include Kulwant Singh Rauke, Bhagwant Singh alias Pardhan Mantri Bajeke, Amritpal's uncle Harjeet Singh Chacha, Gurinder Pal Singh alias Guri, Gurmeet Singh Bukanwala, Daljit Singh Kalsi, Basant Singh, Varinder Singh Johal and Varinder Singh alias Fauji. All nine were lodged in Assam. Charges were framed against 41 persons under section 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault on public servant), 186 (obstructing any public servant in the discharge of his public functions), 506 (Criminal intimidation), 332 (causes hurt to any person being a public servant), 333 (causing grievous hurt to deter a public servant from their duty), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 427 (causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees or upwards), 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offence) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 25 of Arms Act, defence council advocate Rituraj Singh Sandhu said. In February 2023, Amritpal and his associates were booked under various charges for allegedly attacking the Ajnala police station to get one of his aides released from the cops' custody. Six cops were injured in the clash. A month later, on March 18, police began a crackdown against Amritpal and his aides. Police intercepted Amritpal's cavalcade near Mehatpur town in Jalandhar, but the WPD chief managed to give the cop a slip along with his close aide Papalpreet. What followed was a month-long manhunt which culminated on April 23 when Amritpal surrendered at Rode village in Moga district. Advocate Sandhu said the evidence trial would start from August 2 in this case. 'The prosecution will present evidence and witnesses in the court. The trial will be conducted daily as per the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. This case will have to be settled in two months,' Sandhu said. 'Amritpal will not be part of the trial as his NSA detention hasn't ended,' the lawyer added. Cops made us sign statements against Amritpal: Bhagwant While being produced in court, jail MP's close aide Bhagwant Singh denied that he made any statements which claimed that the radical Sikh leader 'consumes drugs' while being lodged in Dibrugarh jail. His statement came after police filed a challan in Ajnala court last week, submitting statements made by Bhagwant and Varinder, which mentioned 'allegations' against Amritpal. As the cops were taking Bhagwant to court, he started shouting, apparently making a statement for the media present that his statement had been taken under duress. 'The police have alleged that Amritpal consumes drugs based on my statement. They forcibly made us sign scores of papers and got our statements recorded. All these allegations are false,' he said. Amritpal's counsel, Imaan Singh Khara, said the statements had no legal value 'These were recorded under Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act and could easily be challenged in the court. Statements recorded in police custody are not relied upon by the court,' he said. There was also a minor scuffle between the kin of the accused as the cops as the former tried to get close to them.
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
From 1995's 1st call to 6G: India's cellphone journey
Marking 30 years of mobile telephones in India, a panel discussion and exhibition was organised by multiple trade and retail organisations. Union Minister of communications Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated the exhibition and said, 'We followed the world in 4G, we marched with the world in 5G, but India will lead the world in 6G.' Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia at the mobile conclave in New Delhi on Thursday. (Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO) The exhibition showcased many different mobile handsets which were used in India since 1995, ranging from bulky antenna phones to the thin smartphones common today. The event also highlighted the first call made in India, on July 31 1995, between Union telecom minister Sukh Ram in Delhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu in Kolkata. Recalling the moment, Scindia said, 'In 1995, when the first phone call went from Sanchar Bhawan, and from that beginning to today, the seed sown by the first call is today not within the country but on the world stage. We have emerged in the form of the world's second largest telecom market, with 120 crore consumers.' Scindia also praised the many developments in the field of telecommunications and emphasised how mobile technology has embedded in everyone's daily life. 'Today, this digital system has fused with our lives,' he said. Stating that earlier citizens would have to face corruption, the minister praised the Unified Payments Interface used to transfer money, and said, 'With the digital UPI network, the money reaches your bank account directly, and you receive a message on your phone.' The event was jointly organised by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), the All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA), and the Organised Retail Association (ORA). Promising extended connectivity across the country, Scindia said, 'In the coming days, an adivasi in Chhattisgarh, a resident living on the coast of Gujarat or hills, will be able to conduct their business with the entire world using their phones. The Indian government will provide this facility in every village of the country.' Praveen Khandelwal, Member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk and secretary general of CAIT, praised former Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee,during whose tenure the telecom sector was liberalised . 'From voice to value, India's mobile journey is a global case study. What began with a phone call in 1995 is now powering a trillion-dollar digital economy,' he said. A panel discussion was held on 'The Journey of Mobile Telephony in India: Past, Present & Future', with leading voices in the telecom field, including national president of CAIT, former chairperson of National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention Neel Kamal, and CEO of Pine labs Kush Mehra. They spoke on topics ranging from digital payments and mobile internet to the potential of 6G and artificial intelligence.
