Nitish Kumar has pledged to create 10 million jobs in the next five years apart from offering voters many other sops.
With assembly elections looming later this year, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is going all out to woo voters, Thursday's announcement offering 125 units of free electricity to people being the latest.
Nitish Kumar took to X to share his government's decision, stating, 'We have been providing electricity to everyone at affordable rates from the very beginning. Now we have decided that from August 1, 2025, that is, from the July bill itself, all domestic consumers in the state will not have to pay any money for electricity up to 125 units. This will benefit a total of 1.67 crore families in the state.'
This initiative echoes similar welfare measures seen in other states, notably the free electricity provided to residents of Delhi under the AAP government led by Arvind Kejriwal.
Prior to this decision, Nitish Kumar had announced the government's plan to install solar power plants on the premises of all domestic consumers over the next three years, with their consent of course.
While financial support will be extended to most, the government will bear the total cost of installation for extremely poor families.
These announcements target various voter segments including women, youth, the jobless, the elderly, and teachers in the run-up to the elections.
On July 13, the chief minister announced the formation of a youth commission, a decision subsequently approved by the state cabinet.
He also pledged to create 10 million jobs in the next five years (2025-2030) by creating employment opportunities. Additionally, top police officers have been directed to speed up constable recruitment.
Prior to these announcements, Nitish Kumar announced monthly cash incentives for young individuals undertaking internships: Rs 4,000 for Class 12th pass; Rs 5,000 for ITI or diploma pass-outs; and Rs 6,000 for graduates and post-graduates.
The government also committed to providing internships to 100,000 youth in various institutions over the next five years.
On July 16, the chief minister instructed state education department officials to initiate the process for the fourth installment of the Teacher Recruitment Exam by the Bihar Public Service Commission, targeting the recruitment of over 100,000 school teachers.
This move addresses a long-standing demand from thousands of teacher aspirants who had previously staged protests to put pressure on the government.
Earlier this month, Nitish Kumar significantly increased the pension for old age, differently-abled individuals, and widows from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 per month.
On July 8, the Bihar cabinet approved making domicile mandatory for the 35% reservation for women in state government jobs.
This is seen as part of his strategy to woo women voters, considered loyal to him due to his empowerment initiatives over the past two decades.
Political observers suggest that if these sops are any indication, more such announcements may be forthcoming as the elections draw closer.
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
© 2025