NMC Proposes 5% Water Tariff Hike Across User Slabs Water consumers in Nagpur may soon face higher bills as the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has proposed a 5% increase in water tariffs across all user categories. The proposal, submitted by the water works department, is based on Clause 56(B) of the Nagpur City Water Rate Assessment and Collection Bylaws, 2009, and the 2010 tariff schedule. This clause grants the municipal commissioner the authority to approve up to a 5% annual tariff hike without requiring approval from the general body, provided the decision is shared with the standing committee for information. Any increase exceeding 5% would necessitate approval from the general body. The move has sparked debate due to its timing, as it comes amid unresolved complaints about faulty billing, meter inaccuracies, and inconsistent water supply in many areas. Critics argue that implementing a tariff hike without addressing these systemic issues would unfairly burden consumers. Officials, however, cited rising operational and maintenance costs, along with the civic body’s financial strain, as key reasons for the revision. The proposal marks a departure from recent trends. Despite having the authority to revise tariffs annually, former municipal commissioners Radhakrishnan B and Abhijeet Chaudhari opted not to implement any hikes after the 2023 revision. This decision provided relief to consumers amid rising living costs. Superintending engineer Shweta Banerjee confirmed that the last tariff increase was enacted in 2023. The existing water tariff rates are structured across residential, institutional, and commercial categories. For residential users (R1), the rates range from Rs8.15 per unit for the first 20 units to Rs24.#nagpur_municipal_corporation #radhakrishnan_b #abhijeet_chaudhari #shweta_banerjee #nagpur_city_water_rate_assessment
