It is painful to speak or write about Bihar. Bihar’s is a story of utter neglect and vain boasts.
In 1947, all states of India stood at the same starting line. No state can say that it was left behind at Independence or in 1950. Since the Congress party ruled at the centre and in practically all the states, the same policies and programmes were implemented throughout the country. In fact, some progressive ideas were first experimented in Bihar and later extended to other states — for example, land reforms and distribution.
Bihar had tall leaders. It had an efficient steel frame of administration and renowned civil servants. It had the most fertile land and a perennial river, the Ganga. It was rich in natural resources, and the first steel mills were located in undivided Bihar. And it had one of the four leading High Courts of the country (at Patna) and a robust system of justice. Why then did Bihar fail?
A Failed State
The official data on Bihar is depressing. On the ground, observers say, it is worse. While every government has to share the blame, Mr Nitish Kumar has been the chief minister since November 24, 2005 (except for 278 days when he put his proxy in the CM’s chair). That is 20 years. The next long rule was by Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav (or his wife) between 1990 and 2005. Voters below 35 years know only one chief minister — Mr Nitish Kumar. The 2025 elections to the Bihar state assembly is not about the 1990s or earlier governments but about Mr Nitish Kumar and his 20 years of governance.
The estimated population of Bihar in 2025 is 13.43 crore. It is also estimated that 1 to 3 crore citizens have migrated out of the state. The main causes are unemployment and the state of poverty prevailing in Bihar:
- The youth unemployment rate is 10.8 per cent. Paradoxically, the unemployment rate goes up with education levels. Just 1,35,464 persons are employed in industrial enterprises, of which only 34,700 are permanent employees.
- A Niti-Aayog report of 2024 showed that Bihar has the highest poverty rate in India. 64 per cent of families earn less than Rs 10,000 a month and only 4 per cent of households earn above Rs 50,000 a month.
- As per the multidimensional poverty index (MPI), Bihar is the worst performing state (33.76 per cent). In every metric of deprivation — child survival, maternal health, clean cooking fuel, sanitation — Bihar ranked highest. Bihar ranked at the bottom of the ‘quality of education’ index and ‘decent work and economic growth’ index. (source: Niti Aayog, Bihar Economic Survey 2024-25, National MPI Index, AICC Research Department).
Mr Nitish Kumar’s government is responsible for the current macro-economic situation. Bihar has 9 per cent of India’s population but contributes only 3.07 per cent to India’s GDP. The per capita income in 2023-24 was Rs 32,174 — one-third of the national average of Rs 106,744. More worryingly, Bihar’s per capita income is growing at a rate lower than the national average and the gap is growing. The state’s fiscal deficit in 2024-25 was 9.2 per cent of GSDP but the capital outlay was only 4 per cent of GSDP, suggesting that bulk of the borrowed resources are channeled to revenue expenditure and consumption. (source: RBI, PRS India budget analysis, AICC Research Department).
Traps: Religion and Caste
In my view, despite its potential, Bihar remains poor because of its politics. Its government and its institutions are caught in self-made traps of religion and caste. Religion is a big dividing wall in Bihar. The BJP’s presence in the government has injected religion into every aspect of governance. Witness Mr Giriraj Singh’s namak haram remark that Muslims are ingrates and therefore he does not want their votes. This is in a state where the Muslim population is 17 per cent (to 82 per cent of Hindus).
Caste dominates every conversation among the people including political discourse. Further, the majority Hindu community has been atomized using classifications like OBC, MBC and EBC. Among the 112 castes in the EBC, four are considered more significant and, therefore, more influential. Religion and caste are indeed markers in Indian society but the over-emphasis on religion and caste saps the potential of Bihar and its people. Instead of collective will and collaboration, the atmosphere breeds mutual suspicion, animosity, conflict and bitterness.
No Change Nitish Kumar
The politics of Bihar must change. Who will change it? The answers can vary, but it is common sense that Mr Nitish Kumar is not the person who will herald the change. He is entrenched in his 20-year habits. Add to that the genuine concerns about his health and his unpredictable behaviour. It is foolish to imagine that Mr Nitish Kumar will change himself or bring about a radical change in the governance of Bihar. Mr Nitish Kumar will be a slaughtered lamb like the lambs the BJP slaughtered in Punjab, Haryana, Odisha and Maharashtra. Every regional party that was embraced by the BJP has met its downfall or demise. The fate of JD(U) may not be different.
Caste must be confined to the home. Religion must be practised in places of worship. Neither should spill over into politics or governance. When the people of Bihar wake up to this truth, they will fight their way out of the self-made traps.
