India, June 3 -- Delhi cabinet minister Parvesh Verma has announced that the government of the Union Territory will soon launch a "major bill waiver scheme", and reduce pending "domestic bills by up to 90%".

The previous government stated in June 2023 that 1.17 million consumers had domestic outstanding bills totaling Rs.5,737 crore. Since then, the quantum of pending bills has only increased, said Delhi Jal Board officials. The UT has 2.89 million connections. It wasn't immediately clear how the government would ensure that the waiver was not unfair to people who have paid their bills on time, and in their entirety. The minister did not elaborate on this and on the fineprint of the waiver.

"The billing system is also going to be update...