The Hindu : New Delhi News : Jal Board to hire experts

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Saturday, Dec 27, 2008
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Jal Board to hire experts

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

To help it plug financial leaks and net more revenue

Applications from consultants invited
Losses due to improper billing: 19.91 billion

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Jal Board has decided to rope in consultants to help it plug financial leaks and re-jig its revenue services. The water utility, which generates about 10 million water charges bills every year, has invited applications from consultancy service providers who will be mandated to improve the revenue services by IT enablement.

With the billing net expanding at around 45,000 connections per year and growing, the Jal Board’s brief to the consultants is to improve the existing system that will prevent losses faced on account of imprecise tariff collection.

“Though the level of metering is around 80 per cent, more than 50 per cent of the installed meters are non-functional and consumers are billed on average consumption rather than actual meter reading,” said an official of the Board.

Despite the metered 16 lakh connections, the Board’s revenue generation is low. “The billing of consumers for the water supply is based on a defined tariff. Compliance of the bill payment in each cycle is estimated to be around 60 per cent only, which is an area of concern,” he added.

As per a recent study, the Jal Board’s losses on account of improper billing have been pegged at Rs.19.91 billion.

The Board has for its part identified “lack of adequate quality manpower and infrastructure clubbed with lack of defined monitoring system” as reasons for mounting deficits.

It is now banking on the services of an IT system that will assist the existing “work force to perform effectively and get monitored by the supervisory officials”.

The consultants will be expected to “study the existing system and suggest revenue improvement IT options, billing automation, integration system and subsequently assist in implementation of these initiatives”.

“We are looking at suggestions to revamp the revenue management and improve billing efficiency. The consultants will have to identify problems and offer the solutions required, design and finalisation of the solution, selection of vendor and final roll-out including the training. The consultants will also ensure timely and quality inputs at all stages during the assignment,” said the official.

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