Saurabh Bhardwaj
– Photo: Social Media
Expansion
The Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department has stopped the One Time Settlement Scheme being brought by the Delhi Government to provide relief to the water consumers of Delhi Jal Board. Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that a One Time Settlement Scheme is being introduced to provide relief in water bills to ten lakh people of DJB. The Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department has been instructed to put this proposal in the cabinet, but he has clearly refused to put the proposal.
He was also told that the Finance Minister’s comments had arrived, but he refused to accept the Finance Minister’s comments and said that the Finance Ministry means the Principal Secretary of the Finance Department. At the same time, Finance Minister Atishi said that the Cabinet has the right to take decisions on any policy as per all the rules and regulations. If the proposal does not come in the cabinet then how will the policy be made. LG Saheb has been made aware of this constitutional crisis and he has said that a proposal should come in the cabinet. On his suggestion, we have sent the file of the cabinet note to the Chief Secretary.
Water bills of more than 10.5 lakh consumers are pending
Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that out of 27 lakh consumers of Delhi Jal Board, water bills of more than 10.5 lakh consumers are outstanding. The main reason for this is that most of the consumers believe that their bill is more than the water consumption. There is an error in the readings on the basis of which consumers’ water bills are generated. The meter reader has not taken meter reading of those consumers. This problem had increased a lot during the Corona period. Because during the time of Corona, meter readers did not go to people’s homes and used to prepare and send water bills to people according to an average rate from their office.
There was a large section of consumers who did not even live in their homes at the time of Corona and did not use water. Still their water bills were prepared and sent. If someone has not used water and is given a bill then he does not want to pay the bill. Generally such consumers think that the matter should be resolved first and the correct bill should be deposited when it comes. Lakhs of people made many such complaints to Delhi Jal Board, but the Finance Department of Delhi Jal Board did not solve their problems. The resolution of complaints was so low that the problem increased to about 10.5 lakh people.
One Time Settlement Scheme
Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj further said that to solve this problem of consumers, Delhi Jal Board had come up with a ‘One Time Settlement Scheme’. The policy was approved in the meeting of Delhi Jal Board and preparations are on to place it in the cabinet. Since the administrative department of Delhi Jal Board comes under the Urban Development Department. Being the Urban Development Minister, I gave written instructions to the ECS of the Urban Development Department to place the proposal of this policy before the Cabinet, but it is very surprising that the Additional Chief Secretary (ECS) of the Urban Development Department refused to place this proposal in the Cabinet. Has clearly refused.
Discussed with Lieutenant Governor
Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that after LG’s address in the Assembly today, we discussed this issue with him. During this, CM Arvind Kejriwal and Finance Minister Atishi were also present. In this conversation, it was decided that this cabinet note should be sent to the Chief Secretary of Delhi and he should be asked to put the proposal of this scheme before the cabinet as soon as possible. It should be brought before the cabinet early next week. This cabinet note has been sent to the Chief Secretary.
Cabinet will decide
At the same time, Finance Minister Atishi said that four days ago, Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj had instructed the Urban Development Department to put the proposal of ‘One Time Settlement Scheme’ before the Cabinet. According to the Constitution, GNCTD Act and Transaction of Business Rules, the cabinet of the government has the right to take decisions on any policy. The Cabinet also has to take the decision on ‘One Time Settlement Scheme’ in Delhi, but the Additional Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department of Delhi is refusing to bring this proposal before the Cabinet. If an officer refuses to bring a proposal before the Cabinet, then how will the Cabinet take a decision. If the proposals do not come before the cabinet, then how will the policy of Delhi government be made? The refusal of any officer or secretary to bring a proposal before the Cabinet is a constitutional crisis, which is happening in Delhi today.
