NEW DELHI: Bihar, which was once being cursed as a power-starved state, has now metamorphosed into one with sufficient power availability after years of systematic efforts under Nitish Kumar government.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Bihar State Power Holding Company CMD Sanjiv Hans claimed, "Bihar is the first state in the country which has installed biggest number of smart pre-paid electric meters in a short time frame since 2020."
Bihar was once cursed as the state in lantern age due to extreme shortages of electricity .How this state has come in a state of having sufficient power availability?
Bihar moved through a systematic revival in the power sector with an open heart support of state government, led by Nitish Kumar, to get rid of the tag of a "power starved" state.
We explored all the ways to have sufficient power availability,revived the transmission lines, distribution systems, revenue generation and power supply to even the remotest parts of state,where electric bulbs were almost a new thing amongst the poor people.
Now, 99 per cent households are getting power supply to maximum hours of a day and night. The basic focus in initial days was laid on how to strengthen the supply chains of power from grids to villages in particular.
Surveys were conducted in a record short time and infrastructure development works including installation of electric poles and wire-pulling, started on a mission mode across the rural areas. It took few years but the state succeeded in it a thumping results, bouying the government to go a long way, which has brought us a distinction of being the first state in the country going with installation of smart pre-paid electric meters on the largest scale.
How many smart pre-paid electric meters have so far been installed in Bihar since it started?
It started in 2020 on pilot basis from Bihar's Muzaffarpur and Arwal districts,which soon got extended across the state.And more than 9 lakh smart pre-paid electric meters have so far been installed in the state and works of installation is going on war footing. And the installation of 9 lakh of smart pre-paid electric meters is about 85 per cent of total installation of same devices in the country.
Over 17.5 million electric meters are to be replaced by the smart pre-paid electric meters by 2025. We are sure to achieve the target as both CM Nitish Kumar and power minister Bijendra Yadav continue to monitor the renaissance taking place in the power sector in Bihar.
How the state is promoting consumption of electricity in the state which is still categorised as one of economically backward states?
The consumption of electricity in Bihar has increased to a great extent and increasing every month with sufficient availability of power to the people. Right now, we are organizing "Bijali Mahotsava" across 38 districts of Bihar from Monday to celebrate Ujjwal Bharat Ujjwal Bhavishya-Power@2047
What would be held at Bijli Mahotsav basically?
The Bijli Mahotsava is a platform to showcase both the Centre and State government's reforms, initiatives taken in the power sector and future course for energy security of the country as part of ongoing "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav"celebration.
The Union Ministry of Power in association with the Bihar government, will organise Bijli Mahotsav in all the 38 districts from July 25. As we have decided, the Bijli Mahotsav will be organised at two places in each district from July 25 to 30 this year.
To mark the grand finale of Bijli Mahotsav on July 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with beneficiaries of power schemes from across the country, including Bihar. In Patna Adhiveshan Bhawan and Bihar Museum have been chosen as event venues and Minister of Road Construction department, Nitin Nabin and Youth, Art & Culture Minister,Dr. Alok Ranjan will be the Chief Guest for the event which will take place on 26th and 27th July respectively.
What other activities have been planned during the first of its kind event called 'Bijali Mahotsava'?
A number of activities are to be held but general public, opinion makers and policy makers will be sensitised on importance of power sector through audio-visual media, nukkad natak, cultural programmes, infographics display and screening of short films on the themes 'Universal Access and Household Electrification', 'One Nation One Grid', 'Consumer Rights and Renewable Energy, Capacity Addition'.
The most important thing of this is that during the Bijli Mahotsav, views of participants will also be sought to take the power reforms forward in line with the vision Power@2047 of the Centre.
One specific query is that Bihar has also been infamous for rampant power pilferage.How do you have come to check such a menace?
A- You will be surprised to know that the Bihar State Power Holding Corporation Limited (BSPHCL) has detected power theft worth Rs 34.37 crore and registered 10,357 FIRs against defaulters in first quarter in 20 circles of this year alone .
And out of total amount of power thefts detected,We have recovered Rs 2,052 lakh from the defaulters also. In the first quarter of this fiscal year, a drive was launched by the BSPHCL by forming a special task force to monitor and prevent electricity theft across Bihar.
The BSPHCL would continue this statewide drive against power theft with uncompromising stand.
How you given tasks to power engineers or executive engineers to check this or centrally drive is monitored?
An annual plan for each engineer has been prepared and handed over to each division office which comprises different billing goals; devising action plan for prevention of electricity theft; increasing revenue collection and plannig for recovery from the defaulters.
From this fiscal our personnel are working in rural areas of the state as well to collect revenue by organizing camps at different places. Irregularities related to electricity bill are not being tolerated. Consumers are also being made aware on the points related to the benefits of paying electricity bill on time. Senior officials are regularly monitoring the drive from central command unit at Patna, included me .
How the power availability benefiting the farmers in remote areas of Bihar?
As part of making Bihar a prosperous and self reliant in power sector,the state government is providing separate power connection on affordable rate per unit to farmers for running their water pumps for irrigation purposes.And in every district,huge number of farmers are in irrigation through the electric water motors for which separate connections have been provided.
Almost all senior officials right from state headquarters to district headquarters regularly visit the rural areas and interact with the farmers to know how they are getting benefited and supply of power on the ground.
Even me as being the CMD, used to visit village areas and interact every month randomly to take stock of success of this special farmer-benefiting scheme of department. We have also extended power supply to agriculture connection from 8 hours to 16 hours daily,eg.5am to 9 Pm, to meet the agricultural needs in irrigation.