Every household will have electricity by 2018: Nitish Kumar

State has shifted its focus to provide quality power, he says

Nitish Kumar at the foundation stone laying function.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said every household of the State would have power connection by 2018 end. He said the government had now shifted its focus to provide quality (adequate voltage) power supply.

Recently, at the Energy Ministers’ conference in New Delhi, even the Centre had appreciated Bihar Energy department’s initiative to file zero tariff petitions.

“Every household of the State will be provided electric connection by the end of 2018… now the State government has shifted its focus to provide quality power supply,” said Mr. Kumar while addressing a function organised by the Energy department in Patna.

Franchisee system

He laid foundation stone for various schemes of the department. He said the 633 unelectrified villages would be electrified by December 2017.

The Bihar Chief Minister expressed his displeasure over the franchisee model of power distribution. “In my opinion the functioning of franchisee is

bekaar [futile]…. the State government’s intention is to get rid of the franchisee [system] as the electrification of some of the villages could not be completed because of the franchisee system,” rued Mr. Kumar.

Appealing to the people to “conserve power,” he asked officials to start a campaign in this regard.

Dig at PM

Mr. Kumar also took a dig at the Prime Minister for asking people repeatedly during last election campaigns in Bihar about power. “Mr. Modi used to ask people Bijali aayee…Bijali aayaee ? [has power come?]… at Samastipur, people said haan aayee [yes, it has come]… but, after election when he visited Bihar he appreciated the State’s steps in power sector,” said Mr. Kumar.

Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav too said that “the Prime Minister now would not ask people bijali aayee… bijali aayee? ... in recent years Bihar has taken a leap forward in power sector.”