New Delhi: The Delhi Jal Board on Friday waived the development and infrastructure charges for new water and sewer connections in the city. The move is being interpreted in the political circles as chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s ploy to woo voters ahead of the next year’s state elections.
Addressing a press conference, Mr Kejriwal, who is also the chairman of the DJB, said people would have to pay just Rs 2,310 now to get new water and sewer connections. Earlier, a person having a plot of 200 square metres would have to pay nearly Rs 1.14 lakh to get new water and sewer connections. Similarly, for a 300-square-metre plot, an applicant would have to pay nearly Rs 1.24 lakh.
Mr Kejriwal said that it has been observed that despite having a water pipeline in a particular area, most residents did not get “formal connection” due to the high development and infrastructure charges, even as they were using supply water through “illegal” means.
“The board (DJB) today decided that it will not take development and infrastructure charges from Delhiites,” Mr Kejriwal said. “The government will continue to spend funds on infrastructure like laying of new water pipelines, new water treatment plants.” The chief minister said the government hoped that with this move, people would get new water and sewer connections in large numbers.
Delhi BJP general secretary Ravinder Gupta said that the AAP government had in the past announced some populist measures just to woo voters in the city. He said the Kejriwal government was announcing these populist measures to cover up its five-year of misgovernance in the city.
The government had decided to provide free electricity to those who had been consuming less than 200 MW of power. It also provided free rides for women passengers in the DTC buses.
