New Delhi: In a major move, the Delhi government on Saturday decided to extend its scheme of giving free water of 20,000 litres per month to the residents of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) areas with retrospective effect.


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If implemented, the move could benefit around 21,000 households living in the central Delhi area.


"So far, people of entire Delhi, except those living in NDMC area, benefited from this scheme. Now we have decided to retrospectively implement the same in NDMC area," Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said after a cabinet meeting here.


"The scheme would be implemented from the same date it was implemented in the rest of Delhi," he added.


Delhi is divided into three urban regions -- the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and the Delhi Cantonment Board.


The NDMC area includes VVIP zones, including Lutyens area, Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, North Block, South Block and the Supreme Court.


"The old water bills of people living there will be refunded and Delhi government will pay subsidy amount to NDMC," Kejriwal said.


Immediately after coming to power, the Aam Aadmi Party had decided to give free water up to 20,000 litres per month to every household in Delhi as promised in its poll manifesto.


An NDMC spokesperson told IANS that the cabinet decision can not be immediately implemented. 


"For all financial matters, NDMC council will have to pass a resolution after considering the source of funding. We have to consider how, when and from where the money will come from," the official said.


He added that only after the resolution is passed in the council and provision is made in the budget can the scheme be implemented.


He said there are around 30,000 metered connections in NDMC areas of which around 21,000 are domestic connections.


NDMC is governed by a council with a chairperson appointed by the central government. Delhi`s Chief Minister is a member of the council