Water bill charges hiked in Rajasthan; state govt to bear burden of enhanced amount

The Bhajan Lal Sharma led-BJP government in Rajasthan has decided not to impose an extra burden on water consumers despite a four-fold hike in water charges.

“The state government will bear the additional burden arising from the hike in consumers’ water bills,” an official communiqué quoted state PHED Minister Kanhaiya Lal Chaudhary as saying here on Friday evening.

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This relief will be provided by the state government through a subsidy to the PHED department, equivalent to the enhanced bill amount, Chaudhary said.

This will result in an additional revenue liability of Rs 2,100 crore for the state government.

“With the intention of avoiding an extra burden, the water bills of domestic consumers have been charged at the rates in force since 2017. Since then, actual costs and expenditures — on water projects, maintenance, repairs, and other activities related to procuring, treating, and supplying water to consumers — have increased four to five times,” the Minister stated.

In such a situation, it was essential to augment the revenue income of the PHED department. Accordingly, the Finance Department was consulted, and it recommended a four-fold hike in water bill rates.

This was implemented, and the hike was effected; however, it would be provided to the PHED in the form of a subsidy, amounting to around Rs 2,100 crore per year, Chaudhary said.