Chandigarh: The Punjab The cabinet on Monday decided to waive off the arrears of water supply charges in urban areas and pending electricity bills of rural water supply schemes in villages. The cabinet also announced a monthly water user fee of Rs 50 in rural and urban parts of the state.
Punjab Chief Minister addressing the media after the cabinet meeting here Charanjit Singh Channi “We will now charge a minimum rate of Rs 50 for user charges. There are outstanding bills of Rs 700 crore in cities which we will waive off,” he said.
According to a spokesperson, the decision would result in an annual expenditure of Rs 440 crore on the state exchequer and would benefit all categories of household connections in Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Corporations having plot size of more than 125 square yards. Plots up to 125 square yards in urban areas have already been exempted from payment of water and sewerage user charges. Both these concessions will benefit about 25 lakh families in urban areas.
CM Channi He said that it is the propaganda of the opposition that the treasury of the Punjab government is empty. “The treasury will never be empty. We will give right facilities like electricity, water and sewerage to the people at affordable rates.
The cabinet also decided to provide free electricity to all rural water supply schemes from October 1, 2021. It also decided to provide funds from budgetary support to clear the arrears of Rs 1,168 crore. Besides this, the Punjab cabinet also decided to waive off all outstanding dues of water supply and sewerage charges for domestic connections. This decision is likely to cost the state exchequer about Rs 700 crore. The state cabinet has also decided to send recommendations for the appointment of Jagbans Singh as the new president of Punjab Public Service Commission.
Punjab Chief Minister addressing the media after the cabinet meeting here Charanjit Singh Channi “We will now charge a minimum rate of Rs 50 for user charges. There are outstanding bills of Rs 700 crore in cities which we will waive off,” he said.
According to a spokesperson, the decision would result in an annual expenditure of Rs 440 crore on the state exchequer and would benefit all categories of household connections in Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Corporations having plot size of more than 125 square yards. Plots up to 125 square yards in urban areas have already been exempted from payment of water and sewerage user charges. Both these concessions will benefit about 25 lakh families in urban areas.
CM Channi He said that it is the propaganda of the opposition that the treasury of the Punjab government is empty. “The treasury will never be empty. We will give right facilities like electricity, water and sewerage to the people at affordable rates.
The cabinet also decided to provide free electricity to all rural water supply schemes from October 1, 2021. It also decided to provide funds from budgetary support to clear the arrears of Rs 1,168 crore. Besides this, the Punjab cabinet also decided to waive off all outstanding dues of water supply and sewerage charges for domestic connections. This decision is likely to cost the state exchequer about Rs 700 crore. The state cabinet has also decided to send recommendations for the appointment of Jagbans Singh as the new president of Punjab Public Service Commission.
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