A Tale Of Few States : BIHAR

"Bihar is not merely India's poorest state; it is also its most corrupt, violent and lawless state," Steven R Weisman of the New York Times wrote in 1987.
Almost three decades later, little of that statement seems to have changed. Here are a few problems currently being faced by Bihar :

1. Corruption and Crime 
Bihar is a criminalised nexus of Jungle-raj and is responsible for illegal activities to be committed in a sustained fashion and sometimes openly, and mostly with the use of violent intimidation. But, India's third-most-populous state, with the country's poorest people - has a crime rate lower than more prosperous states with fewer people, such as Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, an IndiaSpend analysis of national crime data reveled. The only problem is, this idea is difficult to back with facts. The numbers don't lie, bet they can be manipulated.

2. Shortage of ElectricitySituation of power availability in Bihar was never rosy, but with the separation of Jharkhand in the year 2000, it became particularly critical because most of the power generation plants fell into the newly formed state. Currently, Bihar is dependent on National Thermal Power Corporation Plants and Jharkhand Electricity Board for power supply. But there is still a wide demand- supply gap that needs to be bridged. Only 52.8 % of villages and 6 % of households of the state are electrified, leaving about 85 % of the population with no access to electricity.

3. Illiteracy
In one hand, Bihar produces a huge number of IAS and IITians, on the other hand, it has the highest number of illiterates. Bihar doesn't have quality educational institutions. They may have many good schemes on paper, but unfortunately they were never laid in reality. Government schools have the worst conditions and private schools end up making good business due to helplessness of parents and students. Education is not necessary for employment and learning, it is required to create a sensitive and growth-seeking younger generation. A youth needs to be empowered with education, to further know their rights as the citizens of the country.

4. Massive Floods
Bihar has the best gift of alluvial fertile land, but the problems are many more. According to Wikipedia: Bihar is India's most flood-prone State, with 76% of the population in the north Bihar living under the recurring threat of flood devastation. Every year out of 40 districts, 28 district face drought, 12 faces flood. Kosi's fury cannot be tamed by Bihar. Despite several requests by Bihar, Union Government plays no role in trying to build a proper dam or barrage. A farmer puts in everything he has for one crop, and ultimately his house, his cattles, his crop, his savings everything goes away, and since he has no other training he ends up as a labourer in Punjab or a rickshaw puller in Delhi, or as a milkman in Mumbai. 

5. Shortage of Industries 
Looting, kidnapping, murders were common in the RJD era. This made complete instability and unrest among the industrialists. Now due to the feeling of insecurity among the investors and sick policies of Government ensured no industry and Zero Growth in the sector. Despite the high intelligence and capabilities of a common educated Bihari, the state has little to offer him or her in any meaningful manner whereby that person could apply his/her knowledge and new ideas and result in growth within the state. Therefore, the talented people in Bihar are migrating to other states in search of opportunities.

Partly, negligence of the central government and the poor condition of the state level politics, have pulled down Bihar to its current state, post independence. Ministers need to work towards creating employment, and providing enough for the large population which does not even receive the basic amenities. New policies are the need of the hour, not only for employment creation but also to create a young educated population. Education must be promoted at all levels of the society to create awareness especially among the poor.
Indeed, without a democratic restructuring of property and power relations in the countryside it is impossible to contemplate any real victory over corruption and crime, and the battle for a new Bihar has to move on in this direction.

An idea of a Bihar where one can walk around freely has become the crux around which every decision of the government revolved. Just the simplicity of this notion should highlight what has become of the state.

courtesy: Rotaract Club Of Chandigarh Himalayan.

A Tale Of Few States: BIHAR 

A Social media relations and International  Service Initiative.