Punjab to waive pending water bills of rural and urban consumers

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 18

The Punjab Cabinet in its meeting held on Monday decided to waive all pending water bills of rural and urban areas, besides announcing a monthly flat rate of Rs 50 per connection.

CM Charanjit Singh Channi said while the waiver in water bills for rural areas would put a burden of Rs 1,200 crore on the state exchequer, the waiver for urban areas would put a burden of Rs 700 crore.

The CM said while there would be no water tariff for a plot size of up to 125 sq yard, the water tariff of all other categories of consumers has been fixed at a monthly rate of Rs 50 per connection.

The Cabinet decided that in future, the state government would pay the electricity bills of public health tubewells supplying potable water in rural and urban areas.

The Cabinet also decided to appoint all Group D employees on a regular basis.

The Cabinet strongly opposed the decision of the Union home ministry to increase the BSF area of jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km along the border.

“We are completely against it. Law and order is a state subject. The state police, which can end terrorism from the state, is capable of preventing any incident,” Channi said.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.