Delhi: After Free Water, Electricity And Sewer, Kejriwal Scraps Development Charges

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced that no development, infrastructure charges will be levied on the residents in the National Capital. It means that the Delhi Jal Board will levy any development and infrastructure charges for new water and sewer connections. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that Delhiites will now have to pay just Rs 2,310 to get new water and sewer connections. Recently, Kejriwal had launched ‘Mukhyamantri Muft Sewer Connection Yojana’. Under the scheme, people can take free meter connection for sewer till March 31st. Other key charges such as development charges, road cutting charges and connection charges have been waived off. The development comes months after Kejriwal announced free power scheme. In August, Kejriwal had announced free power up to 200 units every month for consumers, a decision likely to benefit about 3.2 million residents in the national capital. The existing 50% subsidy for electricity usage of 201-400 units will continue.

“Those in Delhi, who consume up to 200 units of electricity, need not pay their electricity bills. They will get a zero electricity bill. Consumers of 201-400 units of electricity will receive approximately 50% subsidy. I am delighted to announce that the cheapest electricity in the country in available in Delhi today," Kejriwal had said. In the 2015 elections, AAP had swept the state, winning 67 of the 70 assembly seats. The term of the assembly comes to an end in February.

Apart from power scheme, the AAP government had also announced that it will waive water arrears of those who have functional water meters at their homes. A total of 13 lakh people are expected to benefit out of this scheme while the government will also earn Rs 600 crore with streamlined metered water connections. The waiver scheme will be open till November 30 and bills till March 31, 2019 will be waived in this latest announcement ahead of the crucial Delhi assembly polls. Kejriwal had also said that over 10.5 lakh people who come under the E, F, G and H categories of water consumers will get a 100 per cent waiver while those in the A and B category will get a 25 per cent waiver. C category consumers will 50 per cent waiver of their water arrears.