• Akash Satyawali, Dr. Harsh Vardhan Shyam

After nearly two decades of JD(U)-BJP rule, Bihar stands as a reminder of how misgovernance blunts a state’s potential and is injurious to people’s lives. Beneath the tall claims of sushasan and double engine government, lies the reality of massive poverty, poor welfare, and despair for lakhs of citizens. A recent NITI Aayog report paints a stark picture: Bihar continues to have the highest poverty rate in India, ranking last on multiple indices, from zero poverty and zero hunger to quality education and decent work.

Bihar government’s caste survey shows that nearly 94 lakh families earn less than Rs. 200 per day. Poverty remains high among Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Extremely Backward Classes. Fewer than 10 percent of people have completed their 12th standard, and 95 percent of households do not own a vehicle. For a state that accounts for 9 percent of India’s population, its share in national GDP is barely 3.07 percent. Bihar’s per capita income (PCI) remains the lowest in India. It features way behind other similarly placed states. For example, Bihar’s PCI is about one-third of Odisha’s and half of Jharkhand’s. In the run-up to the elections, the incumbent government has announced several cash transfer schemes despite the poor condition of the state's finances.

Bihar’s outstanding liabilities have ballooned by 640 percent since 2005, with little visible improvement in public infrastructure or social outcomes. Outstanding liabilities were Rs. 43,183 crores in 2005; these have increased to 3,19,618 crores by 2024. Despite rising debt, public investment in welfare remains low. Bihar’s expenditure on per capita social sectors remains lower than the average for other Indian states. NITI Aayog data for financial year 2021–22 reveals that Bihar’s per capita social expenditure was only Rs 8,142, compared to an all-India average closer to Rs 12,549. Similarly, per capita health expenditure in Bihar was just Rs 927 versus the average of Rs 1,834 nationally. While other states provide reasonable pensions amounts like Rs. 2,500 per month for women and senior citizens, people in the state were receiving only Rs. 400 per month. This was recently increased to Rs. 1,100.

Mismanaging the economy and neglecting welfare show up in high unemployment and outward migration. Migration continues to define the life of Bihar’s youth, many of whom leave their homes in search of dignity and work. Youth unemployment has remained in double digits, touching 31 percent in 2018–19, and paradoxically, the more educated one is, the harder it becomes to find a job. Almost one in five graduates cannot find employment. Industrialisation has barely taken root. Bihar has just 899 food processing units employing around 34,700 people, a paltry figure when compared to Punjab’s 3,300 units and 1.5 lakh jobs in the same sector. Industrial employment overall remains the lowest among major states, with only 1.35 lakh workers, of which a mere 36,000 are permanent employees. Since 2018–19, employment in factories has increased by only 5,460 workers. For those who do find work in factories, the average daily wage is just Rs. 740, among the lowest in India.

The status of agriculture and rural economy highlight the extent of despair. Despite being a major producer of rice, Bihar contributes less than 6 percent of national rice procurement. Farmers earn meagre incomes, Rs. 7,542 per month on average, which translates to roughly Rs. 50 per day per person. A responsive government would have invested in food-processing, warehouses, and cold storages to help farmers earn better incomes. Over the past decade, Bihar has added only 13 cold storages, while Gujarat built 459 and Uttar Pradesh 299. Repeated floods continue to destroy crops, yet little has been done to mitigate these annual disasters. Even as the economy falters, crime has surged. Between 2021 and 2023, crime incidents rose by 25 percent. Bihar now ranks second in the country in cases of murder, dowry deaths, kidnapping, grievous hurt, and motor vehicle thefts. The state’s crime rate against Scheduled Castes is nearly 50 percent higher than the national average. Women and children, too, face growing insecurity. In 2023 alone, Bihar recorded 9,906 cases of crimes against children, a 44 percent increase since 2021. Crime against women rose by nearly 50 percent between 2020 and 2023, with 63 cases reported every day. The state ranks second nationally in kidnapping and abduction of women and registered 902 rape cases in 2023, more than 17 cases each week.

Healthcare and education are in disarray. Across the state, most health centres function without adequate doctors or specialists. In rural community health centres, shortages of medical personnel have reached a high of 90 percent. The poor healthcare infrastructure means that eighty percent households prefer avoiding government health facilities, citing poor quality of care. The results reflect in the malnutrition data. Two out of three women are anaemic. Bihar ranks second worst in neonatal, infant, and under-five mortality. Less than 11 percent of infants receive an adequate diet, and over 40 percent of children under five are stunted.

The education sector mirrors this neglect. Bihar continues to record the highest dropout rates in India. If 100 girls begin school, only 32 make it to Class XII. Infrastructure is woefully inadequate, over 20,000 schools lack proper electricity, 76,000 have no computers, and fewer than 2 percent have digital libraries. Repeated exam paper leaks have shattered the morale of aspirants and delayed recruitment processes.

Faced with an imminent loss, it now appears that a large scale vote chori may be afoot. In June this year, the election commission of India launched a Special Intensive Revision of Bihar’s electoral roll. In the last draft, several voters were deleted from the list. As per one estimate, overall, 80 lakh potential voters are missing from the final electoral roll. After two decades in power, the JD(U)-BJP government cannot escape accountability. The state remains trapped in a cycle of poverty, underemployment, and outmigration. The voters now have a chance to reverse the misfortunes and choose for themselves a government that cares for the people and is capable of ensuring inclusive development.

(Akash Satyawali is Joint Secretary of the AICC Research Department. Dr. Harsh Vardhan Shyam is Secretary of the AICC Research Department.)