Nitish Kumar announces 'free electricity' for Bihar consumers ahead of assembly poll

By Admin

17 Jul, 2025

With the Bihar Assembly elections approaching expected to be held in October or November this year, though the official dates are yet to be announced Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has made a major pre-poll announcement aimed at providing economic relief to households across the state. On Thursday, the CM declared that all domestic consumers in Bihar will receive free electricity for up to 125 units starting August 1, 2025, effectively from the July billing cycle.

Free Power for 1.67 Crore Families

The announcement, which was shared via social media platform X, is set to benefit 1 crore 67 lakh families. This scheme is expected to ease the financial burden on millions of households, especially those in the economically weaker sections.

“We have been providing electricity at a cheaper rate since the start. We have now decided that from August 1, 2025, all domestic consumers of the state will not have to pay any money for electricity up to 125 units,” Nitish Kumar posted.

Solar Energy Push Alongside Power Subsidy

In addition to the free electricity initiative, the Chief Minister announced a major solar energy initiative for long-term sustainability. The state government plans to install solar panels on rooftops or nearby public places with the consent of domestic consumers over the next three years.

Under the Kutir Jyoti scheme, extremely poor families will receive solar power plants at zero cost, while others will receive government support to make the shift toward renewable energy.

TRE-4 Job Bonanza for Teacher Aspirants

A day before the electricity announcement, Nitish Kumar addressed the state's unemployment issue by focusing on education sector vacancies. The CM instructed the education department to identify vacant teacher posts and initiate the TRE-4 (Teachers' Recruitment Exam) process at the earliest.

Previously, TRE-1 and TRE-2 led to the appointment of 1.70 lakh and 70,000 teachers respectively, while 66,603 posts were filled in TRE-3. The upcoming TRE-4 is expected to offer opportunities to over 1.20 lakh teacher aspirants, and the official notification is likely to be released soon.

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) will conduct the TRE-4, covering primary, middle, secondary, and senior secondary teaching positions.

Reservation for Women Maintained

As part of the state’s commitment to empowering women, the CM confirmed that the 35% reservation for women in teacher appointments will continue to benefit female candidates who are residents of Bihar.

“TRE-4 will be held before the model code of conduct comes into force in the state,” Bihar Education Minister Sunil Kumar informed the media.

Final Thoughts

These announcements come at a crucial time when Bihar is preparing for another electoral cycle. Whether they translate into electoral gains remains to be seen, but there's no doubt that these initiatives have the potential to make a significant difference in the lives of common citizens by reducing electricity bills and increasing job opportunities in the public education sector.