CM Ashok Gehlot on charges being paid by domestic water consumers
In what comes as a relief, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said domestic water consumers in the state will not have to pay the water charges up to certain limit in rural as well as urban areas from April 1. In a statement, Gehlot said the development would benefit about 3.36 crore people across the state and they would be absolved off sum amounting Rs 161 crore in their domestic water bills.
As per the decision, in rural areas where supply of water is through different projects and those areas without the projects, no water charges would be collected for the supplies up to 40 litres per capita per day.
About 2.8 people of rural population would be benefitted by this, it said.
In urban regions, no water charge, sewerage and development charge or surcharge would be billed to those domestic metered connection whose monthly consumption is up to 15 kilolitres per month.
Water charges would not be collected for the flat rate connections in urban regions as well. About 56 lakh urban population would be benefited by this.
For urban regions, the Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) has been directed to change dysfunctional water meters in two years.
For such domestic water connections as well, after meters getting functional on such connections, no water charge would be collected for monthly consumption up to 15 kiloliters per connection, the statement said.
