Bihar is not a producer of electricity, except about 60-70 MW from the Barauni Thermal Plant. Most of its power plants have gone to Jharkhand. Against the peak need of 1,500 to 1,800 MW energy in Bihar, it has been allocated 1,170 MW. Even this allocation is not provided fully. On an average, Bihar gets between 550 to 600 MW of electricity; the rest is met on the basis of peak hour premium tariff. The energy need in Patna town itself is about 325 MW. When the consequences of Nitish Kumar’s developmental agenda unfold, the energy needs in the state will leapfrog.

Irrespective of the energy production base of the state, Bihar has a commitment to supply 75 MW energy to Nepal. It has to extend a munificence of equal magnitude (75 MW) to the railways as well, the richest ministry of the central government. Ironically, the quality of governance in Lalu Prasad Yadav’s ministry will be determined by the quality of energy subsidy provided by the Nitish government.

While the NTPC is committed for production of energy, it is not concerned with its distribution. Its Kahalgaon plant did not follow even the basic grammar of corporate responsibility. Instead of the positive intervention of social service, a negative intervention of police firing was encouraged. Selective favours were given to one section of the lower government functionaries. In fact, the government of Bihar had to reinvent itself and co-opt the responsibility of the NTPC. It is now ensuring social tranquility around the plant in Kahalgaon, by supplying uninterrupted power by purchasing premium price energy.

... contd.