Friday, February 27, 2015

News For Nitish Chief Minister Bihar


World Bank report criticises Bihar for poor power condition-Business Standard-28.02.2015

Claims that more than two third of Bihar's population lack access to electricity
Presenting a disappointing picture of power sector in Bihar, a World Bank study report has claimed that more than two third of its population lack access to electricity.

 The report asked the state government to drastic steps to augment generation capacity and ramp up investment in transmission and distribution infrastructure to ensure affordable power to the consumers.

 "Two-third of Bihar population does not have access to electricity for which the state government must augment generation capacity and ramp up investment in transmission and distribution infrastructure to provide affordable and reliable power to the consumers," World Bank's Economic Advisor Sheoli Pargal said, while presenting the report in Patna.

 Stating that Bihar has the lowest per capita electricity consumption at 144 KW against national average of 917 KW, Pargal, author of the World Bank report, noted that Bihar also fared among the worst states in terms of peak deficit of power at 30 per cent.

 "Bihar's story has been a sorry one. Lack of access to power for a large segment of its population as well as industry coupled with an inefficient, loss-making distribution infrastructure severely constrains economic development and growth", she said.

 The report also asked the state government to take drastic steps to revitalise power sector by improving performance of distribution utilities with an added emphasis on financial discipline in distribution of power in the back drop of ever accumulating Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&T) losses which was among the highest in the country.

 The (AT&T) losses in power distribution in Bihar were among the highest in the country at 50 per cent in 2013 while the accumulated losses of the sector stood at Rs 85 billion in 2012, she said, adding, the transmission losses at four per cent in the financial year 2012-13 were also high considering the all-India average at around 2.4 per cent.
Link Business Standard

No electricity, no vote, says Nitish Kumar-Hindustan Times-15.08.2012


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 in Patna.

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 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.

Link Hindustan Times

I won't seek votes if no villages remain power-starved: Nitish Kumar-IBN News

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