Chief minister Nitish Kumar releases a souvenir during the foundation day programme. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Nov. 2: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said the state’s power sector had “taken off” but not stabilised enough for people to relax.

Likening the power scenario to an aircraft that had taken off, he said: “There is no doubt we have made progress in generation, transmission and distribution sectors in the past few years but we have a long way to go. We can say that the power sector has taken off but has not yet stabilised in the air where people can unfasten their seat-belts.”

He credited the sustained efforts of the government and hard work of officials and employees of all power companies for the achievements.

Nitish was addressing officers, engineers and employees of the state’s five power companies at a programme organised by Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Ltd to mark the first anniversary since the companies came into existence on November 1 last year.

Explaining that the Centre had set a condition that the erstwhile state electricity board be divided into five companies to get any kind of assistance from it, Nitish assured the power companies’ officers and employees that “their service conditions would not be altered with.” If the power companies are run professionally, they would certainly make profits in future, he said.

Indicating the importance the government attaches to the energy sector, Nitish said the government had allocated Rs 9,200 crore of the Rs 12,000 crore special plan to the energy sector alone, to be spent in the next few years.

He said: “We have not only provided monetary help but also extended massive administrative support to the energy department. District magistrates — whose prime job is to oversee law and order and development — are involved in strengthening and upgrading the energy sector.”

Referring to the chief minister’s announcement of not seeking votes if the power situation does not improve by end of 2015, energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said: “We have been able to supply 2,200MW of power in 2013 from 1,200MW in 2012. We hope to cover 80 per cent of pending areas by end of next year.”

On the occasion, Nitish dedicated six 132/33KV grid sub-stations worth Rs 152 crore and laid foundation stones for schemes worth Rs 332.80 crore, including construction of re-conductoring of transmission lines, laying of transmission lines, construction of three new power sub-stations in three districts and a grid sub-station at Sheohar.

He also laid the foundation stone for schemes worth Rs 2394.05 crore for carrying out rural electrification work in seven districts.

The power company showed a short film on the power sector. The film depicted the past, present and future prospects of the state’s power sector.

To create awareness about ill effects of power pilferage, a small play was enacted in front of the chief minister and other top officials.

Others who attended included chief secretary A.K. Sinha, energy department secretary and chairman-cum-managing director of Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Ltd Sandeep Poundrik, chief minister’s energy adviser P.K. Rai, Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission chairman U.N. Panjiar, Bihar State Power Generation Company Limited managing director Anand Kishore, Bihar State Power Transmission Company Limited managing director Sanjay Kumar Singh, MD of the two distribution companies in the state, North Bihar Power Distribution Company and South Bihar Power Distribution Company, Sanjay Kumar Agrawal.