Patna: Chief minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday directed power sector officials to complete installation of rooftop solar panels on the homes of 2.5 lakh Kutir Jyoti consumers by Nov 20 under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.He said arrangements should also be put in place so that by Nov 20, 2027, when the NDA govt in Bihar completes two years, about 25 lakh households can be covered under the rooftop solar scheme.Choudhary issued the directions while launching the rooftop solar plant installation work for 2.5 lakh Kutir Jyoti consumers’ houses at a cost of Rs1,512 crore. He unveiled the project plaque through a remote during a programme at Vidyut Bhawan in Patna.The CM said the state govt would strengthen people economically by purchasing electricity generated through rooftop solar panels in excess of 125 units.He said the objective of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is to provide clean, affordable and sustainable energy to economically weaker families and promote renewable energy use. At the same event, he also launched energy sector development projects worth Rs1,278 crore by remote unveiling.Addressing the gathering, Choudhary said Bihar had only 17 lakh electricity connections till 2005, but the number has now risen to 2.22 crore. He said domestic consumers in the state are being given 125 units of free electricity, an idea that emerged from the Mahila Samvad programme started by former CM Nitish Kumar.He described Bihar as the country’s cheapest and highest subsidy-giving state in the power sector. “Uttar Pradesh is larger than Bihar in area and almost double in population, but its govt gives only Rs6,000 crore as subsidy to electricity consumers. In Bihar, we are giving Rs23,000 crore,” he said. He added that Bihar’s annual budget is Rs3,47,000 crore, while its own resources amount to Rs60,000 crore to Rs70,000 crore, making the subsidy expenditure significant.Choudhary said Bihar received only 400 to 500 megawatts of power till 2005, while current consumption has reached 9,000 megawatts.Before the programme, he inspected the State Load Dispatch Centre on the fourth floor of Vidyut Bhawan. Officials briefed him on real-time power consumption across Bihar using the centre’s display board, and he also viewed the electricity map.Deputy CM Bijendra Prasad Yadav, energy minister Shailesh Kumar alias Bulo Mandal and energy secretary Ajay Yadav also addressed the programme.
