Bengaluru’s water board collects Rs 12 crore under one-time settlement scheme, to issue more notices

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) collected Rs 12.1 crore in dues from the first batch of 56,765 notices issued under its one-time settlement (OTS) scheme. Officials noted that this reflects a positive response from consumers who are willing to settle their water bill dues when offered a transparent and convenient option. The scheme, rolled out on April 6, has a three-month window. After reviewing legacy records, BWSSB identified more than 2.8 lakh eligible consumers out of more than 3.7 lakh cases. So far, more than 2.1 lakh customised notices have been printed and sent to sub-divisions for distribution across the city. The board has outsourced printing to handle the large-scale rollout, with the agency producing about 50,000 notices every 48 hours. The remaining notices are expected to be distributed by May 10. Overall, BWSSB aims to recover more than Rs 471.5 crore in principal dues while offering a waiver of Rs 252.3 crore in interest, providing financial relief to the consumers. BWSSB chairman Ram Prasath Manohar said the response highlights public trust in citizen-friendly initiatives. "The encouraging initial response to the OTS scheme shows that when a transparent and respectful system is provided, consumers respond positively. We urge all eligible citizens to make use of this opportunity," he said. The scheme is expected to ease financial stress on consumers while strengthening BWSSB's revenue base and improving service delivery across Bengaluru.

(Source：The Times Of India)