POTABLE WATER FOR ALL BY DECEMBER 2017
Delhi Govt’s water policy is based on the belief that water is a human right, not a commodity
• Drinking water to all authorised and unauthorised colonies by 2017
• Free lifeline water, up to 20 kilolitres a month (about 700 litres a day) per family provided to the citizens of Delhi w.e.f. March 1, 2015.
• Commissioned water treatment plants at Dwarka and Bawana
• Waiver of water bills
• Mixed water tariff policy
• Delhi Jal Board earned 178 crore more despite providing free water
Swiftly implementing its poll promises the Delhi Government implemented the provision of free water up to 20 kiloliters per family per month as soon as it came to power. This policy has benefited all stakeholders: citizens reaped rewards of zero billing, the cross subsidy bolstered revenue and incentivised lower usage.
The government implemented its poll promises on day one itself, something unheard of in modern Indian politics. The policy of removing mixed water tariff benefited lakhs of traders and small businesspersons who had non-intensive use of water but had to pay commercial water rates and is now rid of this excessive burden.
“Despite being in the national capital, we have to drink bottled water. Our aim is to provide drinking water through pipelines to all households in authorised or unauthorised colonies by December 2017,” said Finance Minister Manish Sisodia.
A transparent tanker water distribution system was implemented using GPS/GPRS with schedules of operation available online, eliminated unscrupulous elements operating in water supply through private tankers at charging exorbitant rate.
Concurrently, the Delhi Jal Board made transformative improvements in water pipeline and supply reaching constituencies such as Dwarka, Sangam Vihar and Tughlakabad, truly moving towards the goal of providing water as a right.
In the year 2015-2016, the first year of the new Delhi Government under CM Arvind Kejriwal, only 19 km was re-laid and 167 km was newly laid with a total coverage of 217 colonies, which is the maximum colonies covered in one year in the history of the Delhi Jal Board. With this effort in the past year, the total number of unauthorised colonies covered by water pipelines is 1119.
DJB has also introduced schemes, which combine good governance and propoor policy. Regularisation of unauthorised connections, provision of water to over 250 unauthorised colonies and reduction in sewerage and water development charges have brought water to the poorest in Delhi and also ensured better water management and accounting since they are now under the ambit of the Delhi Jal Board’s formal network.
DJB has managed to improve upon its working and monitoring visà-vis water and sewage management. An increase in revenue by Rs 170 crore dispelled myths of poor economics and furthered the positive outcomes of good governance.
DJB’s mSeva app seeks to drive bill generation, online payments and the resolution of inflated bills which will instill more confidence in delhiites.