New Delhi, March 19 (IANS): The AAP government in Delhi on Thursday hiked the water tariff by 10 percent a month for households consuming more than the free supply of 20,000 litres per month.

The decision to hike the water rates was taken notwithstanding the Aam Aadmi Party's poll promise of doing away with the annual 10 percent increase.

The Congress slammed the move with party leader Ajay Maken saying "the (Arvind) Kejriwal government has betrayed the trust and confidence of the people of Delhi."

Kanchan, a resident of south Delhi, said: "It is good to benefit the poor but not at the cost of people belonging to the middle class."

A statement from the Delhi government said: "The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has decided to increase the water tariff by 10 percent. The hike has been approved in order to keep the financial health of DJB intact."

The new rates will be effective from Thursday.

The decision was taken on Tuesday at a DJB meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

The AAP government had earlier fulfilled its poll promise of supplying 20,000 litres of free water to each household every month.

The government also said that those using unauthorised water connection would be able to regularise their connection by paying just Rs.3,310 -- down from Rs.20,000.

"This will help DJB in enforcing better water accounting as well as reduction in non-revenue water," the statement added.