Bihar :Poverty by choice

The well known backwardness of Bihar remains an enigma. Historians and experts recall the great heights of culture heritage, development growth and the territorial sweep of the erstwhile Maurya and Gupta period, who ruled from Rajgir and Patliputra which is the current capital of Bihar.

Those engaged in the rejuvenation of Nalanda University knows the intellectual and educational pre-eminence of that University located in Bihar from the 3rd century to the 12th century AD which was an important center of learning for religion and philosophy.

 Many experts have described Bihar as quicksand which draws you in with inevitability. Bihar suggests awkward complexities which have no simple answer. It is true that state remains a land of riches inhabited mostly by poor people. Biharis may be rich but Bihar is poor is well published quote in past. Biharis, who migrate out from the state, excel in the profession that they peruse.

The students who gets the professional education outside the state, gets job in other cities because there is no adequate industrialization in Bihar so the students whose educations are funded by the capital of Bihar but they are not contributing to back home adding on the backwardness of the State because repatriation of capital as well as human resources are not at the canvas of Bihar. The large Gangetic plain with its fertile soil, abundant water resources available from a multitude of rivers that flow through the region and the potential of the hardworking people of the state are of no avail. But unfortunately no agriculture revolution as such is here.

Soon after Independence in 1950 the state administration of Bihar was identified as one of the best in India by Paul Appleby. But owing to its consistently prolonged poor governance and strongly stratified social order and cast system, the Bihar, was referred as the ‘prosperous poor’. For last few decades, the State was highlighted in two topics of discussion - politics and poverty. Not, the ‘poverty of politics’, rather the politics with poverty.

In last few years, subjects associated with the development challenges of Bihar had been acrimoniously debated in media and research papers as well. Earlier Bihar was considered a ‘Basket Case’, with no prospect of a better future however the fortune of wheel seems turning to positive side as governance has improved. Recently, there have been concerted efforts to improve the overall climate of development in the State. This has aroused a sense of optimism and ushered a glimmer of hope among Biharis. Now Bihar is making headline because of its turnaround story and efforts taken by the government to improve the governance.

It is imperative to see why things have come to such an impasse in Bihar? History can gives us some statistics. Several interrelated issues  poor agricultural growth, inadequate industrialization during the British period, high population growth and migration  have lead to its long-term decline. These were supported by poor governance, ignorance by the Union Government, poor infrastructure, low energy availability and low agricultural productivity over a long period. The result: it has crippled the State, its economy, its society and human development.

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