No electricity, no vote: Nitish Kumar

[Yusuf]

PATNA: In a piece of good news for the millions of power-starved in Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar Wednesday announced that he will not ask for votes in the 2015 assembly elections if his government fails to provide electricity to the villages.

"I will not ask people to vote for us in the next state assembly polls if we fail to provide electricity to each village in Bihar by 2015," Kumar said at an official function to mark Independence Day here.

Kumar said electricity has become the main focus of his Janata Dal (United) -led government. "We have been working seriously on the electricity front to provide it to all in next few years," he said.

Kumar said the state government had already demanded its share in an upcoming thermal power plant of the National Thermal Power Corporation in Barh in Patna district. Besides, his government has cleared other power projects in the private sector in the state, he said.

By promising electricity to all in Bihar, Kumar has sent a message of hope to the people, majority of whom are still living in the lantern age due to shortage of power in the state.

While Bihar's daily power requirement is between 2,500 and 3,000 MW, the state produces merely 100 MW, said a Bihar State Electricity Board ( BSEB) official, who did not want to be named.

The central government supplies 1,100-1,200 MW power to the state. Bihar is facing a deficit of over 1,200 MW, they said.

No electricity, no vote: Nitish Kumar - The Times of India

 

[aragorn]

He is fast becoming like Rakhi sawant of Politics

 

[Predator]

hoping bihar votes for good governance in the next elections

 

[Yusuf]

He is fast becoming like Rakhi sawant of Politics

Whats wrong in a CM setting goals to ask for votes than someone like mamta and mullahyam who come out with all kinds of sops (read appeasement)

 

[Iamanidiot]

the power requirement speaks a lot about Bihar at 3000mw In AP it is around 13000mw

 

[amitkriit]

Whats wrong in a CM setting goals to ask for votes than someone like mamta and mullahyam who come out with all kinds of sops (read appeasement)

Yusuf is there another guy on this forum using your avatar? Sometimes I get confused.
Back on topic, no matter how much we criticize Nitish, he is the best thing which happened to Bihar after independence.

 

[LurkerBaba]

Nitish was able to get coal linkage recently. Still, 500MW is puny

Nitish Kumar gets coal supply for Bihar plant with PM's help - Times Of India

Aug 3, 2012, 01.36AM IST

NEW DELHI: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar managed to get coal linkage for Barauni Thermal power plant crucial for the power-starved state, thanks to an intervention by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Unmoved by Kumar's intense campaign for a coal linkage, the coal ministry had turned down the demand for assured supply of coal for the Barauni plant.

However, the ministry made a U-turn and agreed to the CM's demand for coal supply for the 2x250mw project as a special case for mitigating power shortage in the backward state, after Kumar managed to secure PM's intervention.

Kumar, who wants to complete the 500-mw project by 2014, has urged the PM to ask the ministries of coal, power and environment to facilitate resolution of all issues related to the project, including notification of coal linkage by August 31, which is crucial for getting green clearance by January 31, 2013.

Coming after the increase in the assistance pledged to Bihar as a compensation for the loss of revenue-yielding regions to Jharkhand and the partial acquiescence in Kumar's demand to set up two central universities in the state, coal linkage for the Barauni plant is sure to be seen as yet another sign of the improved vibes between UPA and JD (U)-led state government.

However, JD(U) sources disputed the suggestion that Bihar has got any concession. "We have got nothing exceptional. In fact, given the fact that Bihar is the most backward state with a dismal per capital power availability, we are entitled to a much better treatment," said a party leader.

 

[drkrn]

the power requirement speaks a lot about Bihar at 3000mw In AP it is around 13000mw

well in ap there are a lot of industries along with household utilization increasing day by day,both urban and rural. same with tamilnadu
both states saw severe shortage of power this year
hope the same situation in other states

atleast he has the guts to announce that he will provide electricity.our state cm (a.p) announced publicly that he cant help for power shortages

 

[LurkerBaba]

Conspiracy theory ----> Nitish's recent 'secular tirade' was to get coal linkages (among other things)

Nitish was able to get coal linkage recently. Still, 500MW is puny

Nitish Kumar gets coal supply for Bihar plant with PM's help - Times Of India

 

[SLASH]

Shows how easy it is to get good growth rates in under developed states. There are no industries to speak of. Even if you do very little you can still get 10+% growth. Anyways good that things are moving in Bihar. Hope to see more industries in this state with one of the highest density of people. With the labour force that the possess they can even surpass the top states in a decade or two.