Patna, July 18 (IANS) In a significant announcement from the stage shared with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Motihari’s Gandhi Maidan, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared that the state will now provide free electricity to all families, with the proposal to be approved in the state cabinet meeting.

Addressing the massive gathering, CM Nitish Kumar said: “We respect you (Prime Minister) a lot. We have agreed to your point and have decided to give free electricity. We will approve this proposal this evening.”

The CM lashed out at previous governments, saying: “No work was done before 2005, the situation was very bad, there was no road, no infrastructure. When we formed the government together, we worked for 20 years. Earlier, the budget was Rs 24,000 crore in the RJD and Congress government; today, it has increased to over Rs three lakh crore.”

CM Nitish Kumar highlighted the government’s employment record, “We have given 10 lakh government jobs, and including other employment, it has increased to 29 lakh jobs. Next time, we have decided to give jobs and employment to one crore youth in the next five years.”

“Earlier, there was no electricity even in Patna; only eight hours of supply were there. Now, electricity is available everywhere. We have decided to provide free electricity of 125 units to all families in Bihar.”

The CM emphasised that the decision was made in consultation with the Prime Minister, underscoring their “double-engine” government commitment.

Pointing towards PM Modi, he said, “We respect you so much; we are working in everyone’s interest by listening to you. I also want to make people aware that PM Narendra Modi is doing many welfare programmes for the people of Bihar.”

This announcement comes at a crucial time ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, signalling a major populist push by the NDA government in Bihar as it seeks to consolidate support across rural and urban voters.

–IANS

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