Latest news with #BiharElectricityRegulatoryCommission
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Consumers to get benefit of 125 unit free electricity from Aug bill
Patna: Come Aug 1, power consumers — both postpaid and smart meter-holder prepaid consumers — will start getting the benefit of 125 units of free electricity, as announced by Nitish Kumar-led NDA govt recently. On July 18, the state cabinet gave its nod to give 125 units of free electricity from the month of July, the benefit of which can be availed from Aug when the energy bills will start getting generated. A total of around 1.86 crore power consumers, including 60 lakh with prepaid smart meters, will get 125 units of 100% subsidised electricity under Mukhya Mantri Vidyut Upbhokta Sahayta Yojana. Out of the 1.86 crore consumers, 1.67 crore use up to 125 units of electricity per month on an average, an energy dept official said here on Wednesday. With the free electricity of 125 units, every urban consumer will save Rs 550 per month, while those in rural areas will save Rs 306 monthly, given the current tariff rate announced by Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission for financial year 2025-26. Many consumers, especially the smart prepaid meter owners, are curious as to how they will get the benefit. The department has already made it clear that the relief will start reflecting in the energy bill from Aug for the postpaid consumers. The bill, that will be generated in Aug, will be prepared after deducting the 125 units as per the scheme. "In case of the smart prepaid consumers, they will not have to recharge up to 125 units. They will have to recharge their meter after consuming the first 125 units in a month," the official told TOI. The consumers who have already recharged for July, the amount for 125 units will be credited to their accounts, the official said, adding that it would reflect in "balance" head after the energy bill is generated.
Hindustan Times
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Nitish announces free electricity up to 125 units months before Bihar polls
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced free electricity for all domestic consumers up to 125 units, months before assembly elections are due in October-November this year. This is the first such move in the state and the latest in the series of sops ahead of polls. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. (HT PHOTO) 'We have been providing electricity to everyone at affordable rates from the beginning. We have now decided that, starting from August 1, 2025, and effective for the July bill, all domestic consumers in the state will not have to pay for electricity up to 125 units,' Kumar posted on X in Hindi. He said the move will benefit 16.7 million families in the state. 'In the next three years, with the consent of all these domestic consumers, solar power plants will be installed on their rooftops or at nearby public places.' He said that the state government will cover the cost of installing solar power plants for extremely poor families under the Kutir Jyoti scheme. '...for the rest, the government will provide appropriate support. This means domestic consumers will no longer have to bear any cost for electricity up to 125 units, and at the same time, it is estimated that within the next three years, up to 10,000 megawatts of solar energy will be available in the state.' The fresh announcements came days after Bihar's finance department denied reports that the state government was going to provide free electricity to up to 100 units. Urban domestic consumers in Bihar were charged ₹7.42 per unit for the first 100 units and ₹8.95 per unit above 100 units. These rates exclude the subsidy the government offers to power consumers. Rural domestic consumers pay at a flat rate of ₹7.42 per unit. The state government provides ₹15000 crore for the power subsidy. In April, the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission offered around six million smart prepaid meter consumers of the total 20.8 million in the state 25 paise per unit (kilowatt per hour or kWh) rebate. The rebate was earlier 3% (2% prompt payment rebate within the due date, and 1% rebate on online recharge). The ruling Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) hailed Kumar's latest announcement, calling it historic. 'When Nitish Kumar formed the government, 700 MW of electricity was produced here. There was no electricity for even an hour in the villages. There was electricity for 7-8 hours in the cities. Today, the electricity production in Bihar has increased by 12 times to 8500 MW,' said JD (U) national working president Sanjay Jha. 'Today, 100% of the houses in Bihar are electrified.'
