Bihar DISCOMs Shine Nationally: NBPDCL in Top 5 with ‘A’ Rating, SBPDCL Strengthens Ranking

In a significant boost to India’s power distribution reform narrative, the state of Bihar has emerged as a strong performer in the latest national assessments released by the Ministry of Power in association with REC Limited, marking a major milestone in operational efficiency and consumer service delivery.

At the forefront of this achievement, North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited has secured an ‘A’ rating in the Consumer Service Rating of DISCOMs (CSRD). The rating reflects strong performance across key consumer-centric parameters, including service reliability, billing efficiency, and grievance redressal.

Further reinforcing the state’s progress, the Distribution Utilities Ranking (DUR) Report has placed NBPDCL among the top five state-owned DISCOMs in India, while South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited has secured the 13th position, highlighting Bihar’s growing presence among the country’s top-performing utilities.

Commenting on the achievement, Rahul Kumar noted that the recognition reflects strong execution at the field level, driven by improvements in billing and collection efficiency, rapid deployment of smart prepaid meters, and the integration of technology-led monitoring systems.

Meanwhile, Mahendra Kumar emphasized that the ranking underscores steady progress in operational performance and service delivery, with continued focus on system strengthening and technology adoption expected to further enhance outcomes.

Providing a broader policy perspective, Manoj Kumar Singh highlighted that Bihar’s improved standing in national rankings is a direct outcome of structural reforms, technology integration, and strong institutional mechanisms aimed at improving both efficiency and consumer satisfaction.

Echoing this sentiment, Bijendra Prasad Yadav stated that the recognition reflects the state government’s sustained efforts to ensure reliable, affordable, and consumer-centric power supply, with a continued emphasis on transparency and digital transformation.

The CSRD framework evaluates 66 distribution utilities nationwide based on consumer service parameters such as operational reliability, connections, billing efficiency, and grievance handling. Meanwhile, the DUR framework offers a comprehensive benchmark, assessing utilities on financial sustainability, infrastructure readiness, and future preparedness.

Bihar’s strong performance is underpinned by sustained reform measures, including reduction in AT&C losses, large-scale smart prepaid meter deployment, digitalisation of operations, and enhanced billing and collection mechanisms.

With continued investments in infrastructure, policy reforms, and digital initiatives, Bihar’s power utilities are now well-positioned to further elevate service delivery standards and set new benchmarks in India’s evolving power distribution landscape.