India, Oct. 15 -- The Delhi government on Tuesday launched two wide-reaching water service schemes in a major pre-Diwali announcement - the first, offering a 100% waiver on late payment charges for pending water bills cleared before January 31; and the second allowing the regularisation of unauthorised water and sewer connections with heavy concessions totalling around Rs.11,000 crore.

Chief minister Rekha Gupta unveiled the initiatives during an event at the Delhi Secretariat on Tuesday, describing them as a "time-bound opportunity" for thousands of city residents to settle old dues and bring all households into the city's water supply network.

"The government wants to ensure that no consumer is deprived of water services due to outsta...