Guwahati, Feb 18 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday highlighted the significant improvement in electricity supply across the state since 2016, contrasting the present situation with what he described as frequent power cuts and mismanagement during the Congress regime.
In a post on social media platform X, Chief Minister Sarma shared a visual comparing electricity supply hours in Assam before 2016 and in 2024.
The graphic claimed that prior to 2016, the state witnessed barely 16 hours of electricity supply on average, while in 2024, power availability has increased to around 22.5 hours a day, amounting to over six additional hours of reliable electricity.
“The Congress era was defined by frequent power cuts and darkness due to utter mismanagement of the Electricity Board and corruption, among other factors. But we changed the rules of the game,” the Chief Minister said in his post.
Sarma further asserted that people of Assam are now enjoying near-total electricity supply, which he said is helping power the dreams and aspirations of citizens across both urban and rural areas.
He credited the improvement to reforms in the power sector, better governance, and focused efforts to strengthen infrastructure.
The Chief Minister has repeatedly maintained that ensuring reliable electricity supply is central to Assam’s development agenda, particularly for boosting industrial growth, improving healthcare services, supporting education, and enhancing overall quality of life.
Since coming to power in 2016, the BJP-led government in Assam has undertaken multiple initiatives aimed at upgrading transmission and distribution networks, reducing technical and commercial losses, and expanding electrification to remote areas.
The state has also seen increased investment in substations and feeder separation projects.
Power supply has often been a key political issue in Assam, especially during election periods, with rival parties trading charges over past performance and governance.
The Congress, which governed the state for several years before 2016, has in the past disputed claims of mismanagement and blamed structural challenges in the power sector.
With Assembly elections approaching, electricity supply and infrastructure development are expected to remain prominent themes in political discourse.
CM Sarma’s post comes as part of a broader narrative by the ruling party highlighting changes implemented over the past decade under its governance, using governance indicators to draw comparisons with previous administrations.
–IANS
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