As Bihar heads towards its Assembly election, a chorus of promises fills the air. The ruling coalition has promised 125 units of free electricity to every household from August 2025. The opposition, led by Tejashwi Yadav, went a step further, pledging 200 free units and a government job for one person in every family.

To many, these offers sound irresistible as they touch everyday realities. But as the race to outdo each other gathers pace, it’s worth asking what these giveaways mean for Bihar’s future.

India’s culture of election-time freebies is not a new phenomenon. It began with subsidised rice and television sets in southern States and has since become a nationwide strategy. The logic is simple: give immediate relief, win trust, and perhaps, votes. Yet, the economic cost of this com

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