Pre-election moves ahead of the next Bihar Assembly elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has begun ushering in big pluses in a bid to capture people’s hearts. Having hiked pension rates and sanctioning reservations for jobs for women, the state government is now going to offer 100 units of free power to all households. The plan has been approved by the Finance Department and awaits cabinet nod.
Who Will Get the Free Electricity?
All Bihar families will be given the benefit of the free power scheme, as per the draft proposal prepared by the Energy Department. The consumers will not have to pay any rate for the first 100 units of electricity consumed within a billing period. But if anyone consumes more than that, they have to pay normal charges on the excess units.
So far, citizens of the city are being charged ₹7.57 per unit for the first 50 units and ₹7.96 a unit after that. For the new plan, residential areas would be saving a considerable amount of money on power bills every month. It is intended to provide some economic relief, particularly to middle and poor sections of society.
Final Cabinet Approval Pending for Scheme Launch
While the Finance Department has cleared the plan, the Cabinet’s approval is still pending. Only when the final clearance is granted will the public announcement be made regarding registration or automatic issuance of the benefit by the user. Since the scheme would put extra pressure on the state budget, getting the Finance Department’s approval was a necessary condition to follow.
Pension Scheme Hiked to ₹1100 Per Month
In another giant news, CM Nitish Kumar recently raised the Social Security Pension from ₹400 to ₹1100. The increased sum will be provided from the month of July. This will bring benefit to more than 1.09 crore state citizens, including aged people and other concerned groups.
Women to Get 35% Reservation in State Jobs
In a strong effort to strengthen women’s role in governance, Nitish Kumar announced 35% reserved posts for women in every category of government jobs. Only permanent residents of Bihar can become eligible. The Chief Minister also declared that the move would pave the way for greater entry of women into government ranks and leadership positions.
With these consecutive declarations of free power, increased pensions, and employment reservations for women, Nitish Kumar is evidently giving out voter-popular signals before the elections. These programmes do not just bestow direct gains but are also designed to build a more consolidated and equal social order in Bihar.