As Bihar prepares to showcase itself on March 22, its 99th Bihar Divas, the transformation in the state via political innovation is inspirational. From being the favourite example of a badly governed, slow growing state unable to improve its socio-economic indicators?basically a lesson in what not to do?Bihar has emerged as the poster-child of good governance. The state is now a step ahead of the Centre in its implementation of social welfare schemes, targeting subsidies and increasing enrolment in schools. Not only this, Bihar?s GSDP growth rate of 11%, averaged over the past six years, is higher than the national growth rate. And no, the numbers aren?t fudged?it was not the state government but Swaminathan Aiyer who dug up the big 11 from the state statistical data last year.
The central government?s intention to introduce direct cash subsidies to the targeted BPL population, proposed in the Union Budget, is an approach the Bihar government spearheaded. But far from limiting itself to the implementation of this scheme, the state has initiated and successfully enacted myriad good governance and social sector programmes, giving the central government a blue print to follow.
Bike-to-school
The Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojna introduced in 2009, now a role model for other states, has definitely been a moment of genius for Nitish Kumar. It gives every school-going girl, who has passed class VIII, R2,000 in her bank account with which to buy a bicycle. In addition to this, some extra cash is transferred to cover the purchase of books and uniforms. Bihar has spent R174.36 crore in the past three years to make 8.71 lakh schoolgirls the proud owners of cycles.
The success of this programme is reflected in the lower out-of-school numbers?in 2006, 17.6% girls were out of school, a number which was down to 4.6% at the end of 2010 i.e., 95.4% of girls between the age of 11 and 14 are in school. Bihar?s share in the central government?s Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan allocation has doubled in the last four years to R4,295 crore in 2009-10. The state is using this increased investment to hire teachers, a statistic verified by recent data that shows that Bihar has hired 2.5 lakh teachers since 2007.
I?m covered
The Nayi Pidhi Swasthya Guarantee Yojana is a pioneer scheme in the pediatric healthcare sector, which aims to issue health cards to 3.4 crore children aged 0-14 years. In addition to free vaccination and OPD visits, the scheme will also give the children access to treatment at top hospitals like AIIMS, and PGIMER in Chandigarh, among others. This is in a series of big steps the government has taken towards bettering access to healthcare, including the recently concluded month-long health camps that examined over 30 lakh men, women and children. That these efforts have been recognised by one of the most prominent philanthropist organisations, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, speaks to its success?Kumar?s role in driving down polio rates in the state has been lauded by Bill Gates in a handwritten letter.
Tech savvy
The chief minister, during a campaign for the general elections, discovered that the subsidised food, kerosene and fertilisers weren?t reaching the targeted demographic, which led him to reconfigure the prevailing system. The state replaced the practice of delivering subsidised material in physical form with cash transfers to bypass the system, in turn reducing pilferage from PDS routes. As the subsidy burden is set to grow with schemes like the Right to Food Bill, improving targeting becomes even more essential.
Similarly, for NREGA beneficiaries, the government will transfer wages directly to their bank accounts. The E-shakti project, piloted in Patna, aims to overhaul the management of the employment scheme via the distribution of smart cards to NREGA workers. These will record the bank account number, number of days worked and wages received, again improving the state?s ability to better run this major welfare programme.
No place to hide
Far from resting on his laurels in improving governance, Nitish Kumar has promised that the fight against corruption will occupy one of the top spots on his agenda. To increase transparency, ?declare your assets or forego your salary? was Kumar?s mandate to his ministers. And to his credit, details of his minister?s assets are already available on the Bihar government?s Website. The drive was extended to IAS and IPS officers, over 85% (4.5 lakh) of whom have submitted their information. Since the deadline for disclosure lapsed on February 28, 2011, the salary of the errant 15% will only be disbursed once they furnish the information.
That Bihar has gone from being the butt of most jokes to being an exemplary leader in management tactics continues to be a source of inspiration. Bihar?s innovative ideas and the finesse with which it has implemented social and infrastructure sector programmes will help direct other states as well the Centre?s welfare schemes and governance best practices.
?nikhila.gill@expressindia.com