Bihar’s Free Electricity Scheme – Smart Move or Short-Term Gimmick?
So, Nitish Kumar just dropped a bombshell – starting August 1st, Bihar households will get 125 units of free electricity every month. That’s huge. But here’s the thing – we’ve seen this movie before in Delhi and Punjab. Is this actually going to help people, or is it just another political chess move? Let’s talk about what’s really going on.
1. Breaking Down Bihar’s Free Power Plan
1.1 What’s Actually Being Offered
The government says about 1.6 crore families will benefit. That’s a massive number. But here’s the catch – it’s only for those using less than 125 units monthly. For context, that’s enough to run a couple fans, lights, and maybe a small fridge. Not exactly living large, but for many families, it’s the difference between eating properly or cutting corners.
1.2 Why Every State Seems to Be Doing This Now
Remember when Delhi first did this? Everyone called it crazy. Now it’s like the political flavor of the season. Punjab tried it. Rajasthan too. And let’s be honest – these announcements always seem to come suspiciously close to election dates. Coincidence? Yeah right.
2. Why Free Electricity is Suddenly Everywhere
2.1 The Political Math Behind It
Here’s how politicians see it: promise free power today, get votes tomorrow. It’s simple psychology – people remember what puts money back in their pockets right now. Long-term infrastructure projects? Those don’t win elections.
2.2 Who Actually Benefits?
In villages, this could be life-changing. Imagine a farmer’s wife who can now run a fan during those brutal summer afternoons. But in cities? Most middle-class homes blow through 125 units in like two weeks. So it’s really targeted at the poorest – which makes sense, if it actually works.
3. The Problems Nobody’s Talking About
3.1 Where’s the Money Coming From?
Get this – Bihar’s already drowning in debt. This scheme could cost ₹2,000 crore every year. That’s money that won’t go to fixing roads or building schools. And let’s not kid ourselves – when states run out of cash, guess who bails them out? Yep, taxpayers like you and me.
3.2 Our Power System Can’t Handle This
Here’s the ugly truth – about 20% of India’s electricity gets “lost” (read: stolen). Now imagine what happens when it’s suddenly free. The system’s already broken, and this might just break it completely. Discoms are barely staying afloat as it is.
4. Is This Just the Beginning?
4.1 What Other States Show Us
Delhi’s model sort of works – but they had the advantage of being, well, Delhi. Punjab? Not so much. If every state jumps on this bandwagon, we could be looking at a financial disaster waiting to happen.
4.2 What the Center Thinks
The central government keeps saying “targeted subsidies” – meaning help only those who really need it. But with states going rogue on these schemes, they might have to step in. Or not. Politics is complicated like that.
5. What People Are Saying
5.1 The Supporters
“For a daily wage worker, ₹200 saved on electricity means better food for their kids,” says economist Dr. Rekha Verma. And she’s not wrong. When you’re living hand to mouth, every rupee counts.
5.2 The Critics
Former power secretary Alok Kumar puts it bluntly: “This is like giving painkillers for cancer.” Harsh? Maybe. But he’s got a point – we’re treating symptoms, not solving the actual problem.
6. What Happens Next?
Short term? Nitish Kumar looks like a hero. Long term? We might be setting ourselves up for disaster. There are smarter ways – like solar subsidies or prepaid meters. But those don’t get you on the evening news, do they?
The Bottom Line
Here’s my take – this scheme will help some people immediately, no doubt. But we’re playing with fire financially. And once people get used to free stuff, taking it away becomes political suicide. That’s the real danger.
What do you think? Has your state tried something similar? Did it actually work, or just create more problems? Hit me up in the comments.
Source: Navbharat Times – Default
