Poll-bound Bihar to get 125 units of free power

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced free electricity for all domestic consumers up to 125 units, continuing with a slew of populist announcements months before assembly elections are due later this year.

- Vijay Swaroop

“We have been providing electricity to everyone at affordable rates from the beginning. We have now decided that, starting from August 1, 2025, and effective for the July bill, all domestic consumers in the state will not have to pay for electricity up to 125 units,” Kumar posted on X.

Addressing reporters, state finance minister, Samrat Chaudhary, who is also deputy chief minister, said “16.7 million families who consume less than 125 units of electricity..., their electricity bill will be zero.”

Chaudhary said that the scheme would cost around ₹3375 crore in the current financial year and the overall annual financial impact would be ₹15995 crore.

The announcement of free power makes Bihar the seventh state in the country to offer free power up to a certain level of consumption.