The Delhi Jal Board will consider a proposal on Tuesday to increase water tariff, linking the revision directly to consumption. That is, pay more if you use more. The proposal will be placed before the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) chairperson and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at the Board’s meeting on Tuesday.

Officials said the revision — the last being four years ago —will help meet the increase in expenditure due to the Sixth Pay Commission.

The water utility’s salaries, officials said, have increased by over Rs 200 crore — from Rs 400 crore to Rs 600 crore. The DJB pays Rs 350 crore annually as electricity bill. Another Rs 450 crore is non-planned expenditure in maintaining the infrastructure.

A senior DJB official said: “There is a serious resource crunch in every department. The Commonwealth Games are a year away. This is the right time to revise tariff.” DJB’s Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Negi told Newsline a revision was being considered. He said: “We propose to revise water tariff along different slabs, to keep it rational and progressive.”

The present tariff structure is two tiered, as defined in 2004-05. The DJB charges a fixed tariff and a volumetric tariff based on actual consumption. Negi said: “Though the tariff would be revised across different slabs, it will also depend on the volume of consumption.”