India, May 22 -- A Delhi Jal Board (DJB) scheme to waive late payment surcharge (LPSC) on pending domestic water bills, launched last October, has not had the desired effect, senior officials familiar with the matter said on Thursday, citing payment of only Rs.586 crore of pending principal dues of Rs.5,057 crore-a 11.5% clearance rate-until May 20.

According to the water utility's data, fewer than 30% of consumers with pending bills, 439,000 of around 1.47 million consumers, applied for the scheme since its launch.

Even the extension of the deadline from March 31 to August 15 and the inclusion of commercial consumers under the scheme since February have failed to elicit an improved clearance rate, with 8,481 commercial consumers availi...