‘Na Bijli Aayegi, Na Bill Aayega…': UP Energy Minister On Nitish Kumar's Free Electricity Announcement
Uttar Pradesh's Energy and Urban Development Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma on Saturday took a sarcastic jibe over Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's announcement of free electricity for up to 125 units ahead of state assembly polls, saying electricity will be free only when it would be supplied.
'Electricity is free in Bihar but it will be free only when it will be supplied… na bijli ayegi na bill ayega… free ho gayi. Hum bijli de rhe hain (Neither electricity will come nor will the bill come… it is free. We are providing electricity)," Sharma said as quoted by news agency PTI in Mathura.
The UP minister's remark days after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that every household in Bihar would get 125 units of electricity free of cost starting August 1.
Announcing the decision ahead of the state assembly elections, Nitish Kumar on X said, 'From the very beginning, we have been providing electricity to everyone at affordable rates. Now, we have decided that starting from August 1, 2025 — meaning from the July billing cycle — all domestic consumers in the state will not have to pay anything for up to 125 units of electricity."
हमलोग शुरू से ही सस्ती दरों पर सभी को बिजली उपलब्ध करा रहे हैं। अब हमने तय कर दिया है कि 1 अगस्त, 2025 से यानी जुलाई माह के बिल से ही राज्य के सभी घरेलू उपभोक्ताओं को 125 यूनिट तक बिजली का कोई पैसा नहीं देना पड़ेगा। इससे राज्य के कुल 1 करोड़ 67 लाख परिवारों को लाभ होगा। हमने यह…— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) July 17, 2025
The Chief Minister further added that the decision will benefit a total of 1.67 crore families across Bihar.
The Bihar CM also promised that in the next three years, solar power panels will be installed on the rooftops of residents after taking their permission, to provide further benefit.
'We have also decided that within the next three years, after obtaining consent from these domestic consumers, solar power plants will be installed either on their rooftops or at nearby public places to provide further benefits," he added in the post.
In the poll-bound state, Kumar has so far made several big announcements. Earlier, on July 16, the Chief Minister asked the Education Department to lay the ground for the fourth instalment of the Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE) by the Bihar Public Service Commission, under which more than one lakh teachers would be recruited.
Similarly, on July 13, he promised to provide jobs and employment opportunities to one crore youths in the next five years (2025-2030).
(With inputs from agencies)
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