Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s Rs 20,000-crore solar light scheme draws opposition’s ire

With the much-awaited Bihar Panchayat polls round the corner, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a Rs 20,000 crore solar light scheme. The Bihar government has already floated tenders for installing 10 solar lights each in over 8,300 panchayats and 143 urban bodies. The scheme would cost the exchequer Rs 20,000 crore.

However, the move has not gone down well with the opposition RJD which questioned the timing of the decision. It said that at a time when the previous solar light scheme was marred with corruption allegations against mukhiyas and other panchayat-level representatives, what was the need for a similar scheme.