Bihar’s Solar Street Light Project: A Focus on Rural Development and Efficiency

The Bihar government’s efforts to improve governance include the Chief Minister Rural Solar Street Light Scheme, which is aimed at realizing the vision of clean and prosperous villages. The scheme aims to illuminate rural areas, promote environmental conservation, and build a sustainable rural environment using cutting-edge technology. The centralized monitoring system developed by BREDA plays a crucial role in this, enabling quick identification of faults and facilitating prompt maintenance. This has resulted in more efficient monitoring and improved operational performance. Agencies must repair defective lights within 72 hours, with penalties for failing to meet this timeframe. Despite these efforts, the project’s third phase has encountered challenges, with show-cause notices sent to 17 agencies that failed to meet deadlines and adhered to contract terms. The Department of Panchayati Raj has instructed agencies to complete installation and maintenance within 90 days of the work order. To boost accountability, service stations will be set up for every ten thousand solar street lights, and a dedicated WhatsApp number will be provided on each pole for residents to report issues.