Delhi Jal Board Faces Massive Financial Challenges Amidst Soaring Dues

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) stands on the brink of an unprecedented financial predicament, with unpaid water bills amounting to Rs 1.42 lakh crore across the city, stated Water Minister Parvesh Verma on Saturday.

This financial strain stems primarily from commercial dues of Rs 66,000 crore and government dues totaling Rs 61,000 crore, along with domestic dues of Rs 15,000 crore. The DJB, responsible for both water supply and managing Delhi's sewage systems, faces additional pressures with debts exceeding Rs 70,000 crore.

To alleviate these burdens, Verma announced plans to waive the Late Payment Surcharge for domestic and government categories, aiming to generate Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 crore in revenue. Assistance from the Centre has been sought to recover dues owed by government establishments while initiatives like replacing faulty water meters with smart variants are being considered.

(With inputs from agencies.)