New Delhi: Ahead of assembly elections, the freebie buzz has hit Bihar with chief minister Nitish Kumar announcing on Thursday free electricity up to 125 units for every household in the state.
"We have been providing electricity to everyone at affordable rates from the very beginning. Now we have decided that from August 1, 2025, that is, from the July bill itself, all domestic consumers in the state will not have to pay any money for electricity up to 125 units. This will benefit a total of 1.67 crore families in the state," the CM posted on X.
He also added that the state has a target to install solar power systems at every household at subsidised rates and free of cost for extremely poor families. The state aims to produce 10,000 MW of solar power in three years.
After the announcement, Bihar deputy CM Samrat Choudhary told ET that the decision will benefit 1.82 crore families, out of which 1.67 crore families, who consume less than 125 units, will effectively have zero electricity bills.
Bihar already gives electricity at subsidised rates to the consumers. "Earlier, the government was spending ₹15,995 crore on subsidies. With this new decision, an additional ₹3,375 crore will be required, bringing the total subsidy expense to around ₹19,370 crore for this financial year," Choudhary told ET. "From the next year, an additional burden of ₹5,063 crore will be on the state budget. This is a golden day for Bihar where the NDA government has not given relief to the consumers but also prepared a roadmap for free electricity for every household."
While Nitish Kumar has announced 125 units of free power, the leader of Opposition in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav has made a poll promise of 200 units of free electricity. Reacting to the government's announcement, Yadav called it a "copycat" government.
"We have been providing electricity to everyone at affordable rates from the very beginning. Now we have decided that from August 1, 2025, that is, from the July bill itself, all domestic consumers in the state will not have to pay any money for electricity up to 125 units. This will benefit a total of 1.67 crore families in the state," the CM posted on X.
He also added that the state has a target to install solar power systems at every household at subsidised rates and free of cost for extremely poor families. The state aims to produce 10,000 MW of solar power in three years.
After the announcement, Bihar deputy CM Samrat Choudhary told ET that the decision will benefit 1.82 crore families, out of which 1.67 crore families, who consume less than 125 units, will effectively have zero electricity bills.
Bihar already gives electricity at subsidised rates to the consumers. "Earlier, the government was spending ₹15,995 crore on subsidies. With this new decision, an additional ₹3,375 crore will be required, bringing the total subsidy expense to around ₹19,370 crore for this financial year," Choudhary told ET. "From the next year, an additional burden of ₹5,063 crore will be on the state budget. This is a golden day for Bihar where the NDA government has not given relief to the consumers but also prepared a roadmap for free electricity for every household."
While Nitish Kumar has announced 125 units of free power, the leader of Opposition in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav has made a poll promise of 200 units of free electricity. Reacting to the government's announcement, Yadav called it a "copycat" government.
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