Around 2.85 lakh more farmers in Bihar are expected to receive electricity connections for agricultural purposes by June 2025, according to a recent announcement by state officials.
As part of the state government's ongoing initiative, 5.55 lakh farmers have already benefited from dedicated agricultural electricity connections supplied via specialized feeders. The Bihar government's Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD) confirmed in an official statement that the remaining farmers, who have already submitted their applications, will soon gain access to electricity.
This phase aims specifically to facilitate daytime electricity access for farmers, thus eliminating the need for night-time irrigation and reducing the workload significantly. The tender process for implementing the third phase has already commenced.
Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena highlighted the significance of this move, calling it a crucial step towards addressing Bihar's increasing energy demands and alleviating the effects of drought-like conditions prevalent in various parts of the state.
The completion of this phase will play a pivotal role in enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability in Bihar, bringing significant relief and convenience to the state's farming community.
As part of the state government's ongoing initiative, 5.55 lakh farmers have already benefited from dedicated agricultural electricity connections supplied via specialized feeders. The Bihar government's Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD) confirmed in an official statement that the remaining farmers, who have already submitted their applications, will soon gain access to electricity.
Bihar Government Prioritizes Renewable Energy for Agricultural Use
Under the guidance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Bihar Energy Department is accelerating efforts to extend agricultural electricity connections to all remaining farmers promptly. The Chief Minister, consistently emphasizing renewable energy as "real energy," initiated the Jal Jeevan Hariyali scheme in 2019. The scheme strongly advocates solar energy as an environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial alternative to traditional thermal power.Shift Towards Solar Power-Based Agricultural Feeders
In a significant shift towards sustainable practices, the energy department is transitioning electricity supplies for agriculture from thermal power to renewable sources, primarily solar. Under the third phase of this ambitious initiative, solar plants with a capacity of 1,200 MW will energize agricultural feeders.This phase aims specifically to facilitate daytime electricity access for farmers, thus eliminating the need for night-time irrigation and reducing the workload significantly. The tender process for implementing the third phase has already commenced.
Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena highlighted the significance of this move, calling it a crucial step towards addressing Bihar's increasing energy demands and alleviating the effects of drought-like conditions prevalent in various parts of the state.
Extensive Infrastructure Development
Out of the planned 3,000 specialized agricultural feeders, Bihar has already constructed 2,500, marking substantial progress towards completing the project’s infrastructure targets.Substantial Subsidies Making Electricity Cheaper than Diesel
To encourage widespread adoption, the Bihar government provides a substantial subsidy—over 92 per cent—on agricultural electricity. According to the state government, this makes electricity more than ten times cheaper than diesel, significantly reducing farmers' input costs and promoting sustainable agriculture.The completion of this phase will play a pivotal role in enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability in Bihar, bringing significant relief and convenience to the state's farming community.
