AK Sharma on Bihar Electricity Promise:
Arvind Kumar (AK) Sharma, Energy Minister of Uttar Pradesh, has mocked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s announced free electricity scheme. Sharma commented, 'No power will come, no bill will come,' hinting at how such free plans are far from reality due to significant power outages in villages. This observation is crucial as both Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are led by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This critique between two states of the same coalition exposes internal disagreements regarding power and energy policies.
This year, Bihar is heading for assembly elections, and such remarks by a neighboring state's energy minister aren't a positive signal. This could pose another challenge for the ruling Nitish government in Bihar, especially concerning vital issues like energy.
What Did Nitish Kumar Announce About Electricity Bills?
Nitish Kumar declared that just months before the upcoming assembly elections, residential consumers in Bihar would receive 125 units of electricity free of charge each month. This decision will take effect on August 1, 2025, benefiting approximately 16.7 million households.
The government has estimated that this plan will cost around 3800 crore rupees, including additional subsidies for consumers.
Congress Takes a Jab
Congress has taken a dig on social media platform X at UP's energy minister's taunt at Bihar's government. On X, Congress wrote, 'This indeed is a game.'It is worth mentioning that both Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are trying to tackle the energy crisis in their ways, but statements like these can heat up the political atmosphere a bit.
