From Oct 1, free water will stop flowing in rural areas

From October 1, free water supply in rural areas will be stopped. The domestic consumers in rural areas will have to pay Rs 100 per month per connection. The decision, which was taken by the government last month, has been notified.

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Rates for government institutions, hospitals, schools, inns, religious places, dhabas, shops, home stays, private hospitals offices and schools, restaurants, etc

Along with stopping free water supply in rural areas, the government has also notified revised rates of supplying water in the state. Widows, orphans, deserted women and divyangs will be supplied water free of cost. Besides, the families with an annual income less than Rs 50,000 will be charged at 50 per cent of the notified rates.

The previous BJP government, in 2022, had waived of water charges in the rural areas. The waiver did not help Jal Shakti Vibhag, which has to pay Rs 800 crore annually to the power department to run its schemes. There are approximately 17 lakh water connections in the state, with urban areas receiving water bills from local bodies. However, large commercial establishments like hotels, restaurants, and educational institutions in rural areas were getting free water supply. To address this problem, water meters will be installed in these commercial establishments, and they will be billed based on their consumption at the rates being charged in the urban areas.

As per the revised rates, the urban domestic consumers will have to pay Rs 19.30 per kilolitre on the consumption of 0-20 kilolitre water. For consuming water between 20-30 kilolitre and above 30 kilolitre, he will have to shell out Rs 33.28 per kilolitre and Rs 59.90 per kilolitre, respectively. The minimum maintenance charges have been fixed at Rs 110 per month.