In a significant move ahead of the Bihar assembly elections later this year, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced free electricity for domestic consumers up to 125 units starting August 1, 2025. The announcement is poised to impact over 1.67 crore families across the state and is seen as part of a broader outreach to voters as Bihar gears up for polls likely in October or November.
Kumar shared the announcement on X, stating that the government has consistently provided electricity at affordable rates and will now make it free up to the specified limit for all domestic consumers, starting from the July bill cycle. This initiative is expected to ease the financial burden on households, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, while strengthening the government’s commitment to affordable energy access.
Focus on Solar Energy and Green Initiatives
Alongside the free electricity measure, Nitish Kumar announced plans for large-scale solar panel installations on household rooftops or nearby public spaces, with the consent of domestic consumers. The plan, set to roll out over the next three years, aims to boost green energy usage across Bihar, aligning with sustainability goals while improving power availability in remote regions.
Under the Kutir Jyoti scheme, the Bihar government will bear the entire cost of installing solar power plants for extremely poor families, ensuring energy equity. For other households, the government will provide appropriate support to facilitate the transition to solar energy, aiming to reduce dependence on conventional electricity and cut down household energy expenses in the long run.
Teacher Recruitment Drive Before Model Code Enforcement
In addition to the electricity relief, Nitish Kumar has instructed the education department to identify teacher vacancies in government schools and to expedite the Teachers’ Recruitment Exam (TRE)-4 before the enforcement of the model code of conduct for the upcoming elections.
In TRE-1 and TRE-2, 1.70 lakh and 70,000 teachers were appointed, while TRE-3 saw 66,603 posts filled against 87,774 vacancies. The education department is working to identify the remaining vacancies to ensure the recruitment process can commence promptly. Officials have indicated that TRE-4 is likely to provide employment opportunities to over 1.20 lakh aspiring teachers, with the official notification expected soon.
Bihar’s education minister Sunil Kumar confirmed that the TRE-4 will be conducted before the model code comes into force, ensuring that the recruitment aligns with the electoral timeline while addressing the long-standing teacher shortage in government schools. The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) will oversee the examination process for primary, middle, secondary, and senior secondary teacher positions.
Nitish Kumar also reiterated that the reservation benefit of 35 percent for women in teacher recruitment will continue for female candidates who are residents of Bihar, maintaining the state government’s commitment to gender-inclusive employment policies while improving education delivery across the state.
