Bihar CM Nitish Kumar inaugurates power schemes worth Rs 4855.37 cr

Faced with complaints from consumers regarding irregularities in electricity bills, the Bihar government has started installing pre-paid meters in every household, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Saturday.

He said the pre-paid meters would be beneficial not only for the consumers but would also reduce losses incurred by two power distribution companies- North Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd. and South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd.

The chief minister was speaking after inaugurating and laying foundation stones of various power schemes worth Rs 4855.37 crore.

Kumar said during statewide visit in 2016 he found that there were large number of complaints with regard to irregularities in electricity bills.

There was only one solution to this problem and that was installing pre-paid meters, he said, claiming even the central government has adopted its schemes of giving power connection to every household with pre-paid meters.

Taking a veiled dig at his RJD rivals, he said "there was a time when people used lantern and diyas (earthen oil lamp) to light their house but there is no requirement of such things in the state now because of uninterrupted power supply.

"People did not face any difficulties even during lockdown and children could carry their studies smoothly".

Lantern is the election symbol of main opposition RJD.

Kumar and other NDA leaders have on many occasions highlighted the dismal power scenario in Bihar during 15 years rule of Lalu Prasad-led RJD in the state from 1990-2005, which now has impreved tremendously.

Stating that the state used to draw 700 MW of power supply in 2015 which has now increased to 5932 MW, Kumar said he had taken a pledge on August 15, 2012 not to seek votes in 2015 assembly elections if power availability was not increased in the state.

The government has completed its goal of providing power connection to every household by October 2018 while dilpadited electric wires were replaced by the end of 2019, he added.

The CM said that he has already declared that he would provide water to irrigate every field if people gives him opportunity to serve them.

I had made a promise of providing drinking water to every household, I fulfiled the promise. Similarly, every farmland will be provided water for irrigation for which the three concerned departments of water resources, minor irrigation and energy are working on a plan to implement it, he said.

Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Energy Departments Secretary Sanjeev Hans also addressed the function.

Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar, CMs Principal Secretary Chanchal Kumar and a host of other senior officials were present on the occasion.

Image credits: PTI