New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced a major relief measure for residents, housing units, institutions and industries by rationalising water and sewer Infrastructure Charges (IFC).

The decision aims to reduce the unnecessary financial burden on citizens, enhance transparency and encourage development.

She said that water and sewer infrastructure charges will now be determined on the basis of actual water demand rather than the total area of a building.

Addressing a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat, the Chief Minister added that IFC will apply only to new construction projects or additional construction carried out on an existing property.

“Redevelopment projects where water demand does not increase will not attract IFC. In addition, non-Floor Area Ratio areas as well as open and uncovered spaces will not be included in water demand calculations or in the assessment of IFC,” she said.

She added that the Delhi government’s objective is to provide relief to citizens, strengthen basic infrastructure and establish Delhi as a model in the fields of water management, sewage treatment and environmental protection.

Chief Minister Gupta said the Delhi government has decided to provide special relief to different categories of colonies and economically affected sections.

Properties located in E and F category colonies will receive a 50 per cent concession in IFC, while those in G and H category colonies will be eligible for concessions of up to 70 per cent.

She also announced that residential units measuring 50 square metres or less, built on plots larger than 200 square metres, will receive an additional 50 per cent concession, providing direct relief to small families and the middle class.

Religious institutions and charitable organisations registered under Section 12AB will also be entitled to an additional 50 per cent concession on water and sewer IFC charges, CM Gupta added.

To promote environmental protection, institutions and commercial establishments adopting a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system will receive up to a 50 per cent concession in sewer IFC.

The Chief Minister clarified that this benefit will be available only to institutions and commercial establishments where ZLD-based Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) have been installed and are fully operational in accordance with the standards prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

She warned that if inspections find an STP to be non-functional or not operating as required, the concession will be withdrawn. In such cases, a penalty at the rate of 0.05 per cent per day will also be imposed on the concession amount granted earlier.

The Chief Minister said infrastructure charges had, for a long time, imposed an additional financial burden on citizens. Families building new homes or carrying out additional construction often had to pay charges running into several lakh rupees, causing significant hardship.

Keeping this in view, the Delhi government reviewed the entire system and decided to make it simpler, more transparent and more beneficial for the public.

–IANS

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