Tribute to Bihar (By Rahul Kumar Singh Political Writer) :- I am the history of India, I gave the world its first Republic, I nourished Buddha to enlightenment, I gave world its best ancient university, My son Chanakya was the father of Economics, Mahavir came out of my womb to found Jainism, My son Valmiki wrote Ramayan, the greatest Epic Rishi Shushrut, the father of surgery, lived on my soil My son Vatsayana wrote Kamasutra, the treatise of love , My son Ashoka — The Great was the greatest ruler of India , I gave birth to Aryabhatt, the great ancient mathematician , I gave Ashoka Chakra that adorns India’s national flag ,I am the birth place of Babu Kunwar Singh(Jagdishpur,Ara,Bhojpur) a great worrier of 1857 against British. My son Dinkar is the national poet of India , I gave the world its first Yoga University , I gave India its first president , I am the land of festivals , I am brotherhood , I am humility , I am the past , I am the future , I am opportunity , I am revolution , I am culture , I am heritage , I am intellect , I am farmer , I am power , I am literature , I am poetry , I am love , I am heart , I am soul , I am yoga , I am global , I am inspiration , I am freedom , I am force , I am destiny ,I am the brain Wealth of India, I am the oldest among all states of India, I am Bihar , I am Bihar, I am Bihar, …Come with your dream I will make it a Reality………………
Bihar is going towards a social Revolution under the leadership of our great Chief Minister Sri Nitish Kumar(YUGPURUSH)………………………………………….We often hear of many Indians within India. It is mainly used to differentiate between the rich India and the poor India. Sometimes, we also hear of the divide of the Vindhyas – the north and the south. That a chasm exists within North India itself is seldom visible to an outsider. But exist it does. Actually, it exists to a level that its ferocity would take anyone off guard.

In the article, the kid wishes to exhibit his sense of humor. And what does he do? He repudiates Bihar as nobody’s business. It should come to nobody as a surprise if it is found that he has probably never set his foot in Bihar. He must have met a few laborers from Bihar, for Delhi can’t move without the contribution of the hard working Bihari. He would probably have met a few Biharis who are toppers at DU / JNU / IIT or wherever this kid has studied from. But then in the society of these elites, Bihar has to perform a function, namely, to satisfy their sense of superiority by perpetually being worse than his society, and believe me, a place can only be worse than hell if it has to be worse than their society.

So those toppers or for that matter any other Bihari who exhibits any agreeable trait does not register as a Bihari. Abominably, these chaps do not even hesitate to say on the face of a Bihari that he does not seem to be a Bihari if they wish to honor him. And they mean it as a compliment, not sarcasm!!!

What does one say of this culture? What is the future going to hold for a Bihar’s kid in days to come if such arrogance is tolerated anymore?

Indeed there is an all round lowering of standards, especially in Delhi of today. But Bihar’s have to survive, actually not just survive but flourish and thrive. So whatever be the depth to which the standard sinks, one will have to look after one’s own interest in this big bad world.

Has the time come for we Bihar’s to develop our own militant sub nationalism which gives these chaps back as hard as it gets?
THAT Bihar is India’s poorest and most backward State is undeniable. The facts speak for themselves. But what makes its situation unique is that Bihar is the only State where poverty levels are uniformly at the highest level (46-70 per cent) in all the sub-regions. The annual real per capita income of Bihar — Rs 3,650 — is about a third of the national average of Rs 11, 625. Bihar is also the only State where the majority of the population — 52.47 per cent — is illiterate.
But Bihar has its bright spots. Its infant mortality rate is 62 per 1,000, which is below the national average of 66 per 1,000. But what is interesting is that this is better than not just UP (83) and Orissa (91), but better even than States such as AP and Haryana (both 66).
Even in terms of life expectancy, the average Bihari male lives a year longer (63.6 yrs.) than the average Indian male (62.4 yrs) and the State’s performance in increasing life spans has been better than most in the past three years.
Bihar has 7.04 million hectares under agriculture and its yield of 1,679 kg per hectare, while less than the national average of 1,739 kg per hectare, is better than that of six other States, including some big agricultural States like Karnataka and Maharashtra. Despite this, in socio-economic terms at least, Bihar is clearly in terrible shape.
Bihar is not only the worst off of all Indian States, but the gap between it and the rest is also widening. But there is another reality as well. It is that India cannot progress without Bihar’s advancement. It is much too big to be left behind.
Even after Jharkhand was taken out of it, Bihar still has a population of about 85 million. But more relevant than that, for policy purposes, is that Bihar has India’s largest concentration in the below 25 years age cohort, with 58 per cent in this category. It will retain this position till well into this century, which means that as India ages, Bihar will remain young! And what the young need most is health, education and jobs. Or else.
Thus, the development of Bihar is integral to India’s development. India cannot go forward leaving Bihar behind. This is not the time to apportion blame for Bihar’s plight. But that it is in this condition is a severe indictment of our national leadership that has so blatantly and wilfully ignored the Bihar economic problem.
The successive State Governments too are equally culpable. Who is more responsible for this is a chicken-or-egg question? It does not matter now. But one thing is clear. Bihar has few willing to speak up for it. The numbers are proof of its systematic and deliberate neglect.
As opposed to an All-India per capita developmental expenditure (from 2000 to 2002) of Rs 6748.50, Bihar’s is less than half at Rs 3,206.00.
While development expenditure depends on a bunch of factors, including a State’s contribution to the national exchequer, no logic can explain away the per capita Tenth Plan size which, at Rs 2533.80, is less than a third of that of States such as Gujarat (Rs 9,289.10), Karnataka (Rs 8,260.00) and Punjab (Rs 7,681.20).
Simple and sound economic logic tells us that when a region is falling way behind, it calls for a greater degree of investment in its progress and development. It is analogous to giving a weak or sick child in the family better nutrition and greater attention. Only in the animal kingdom do we see the survival of the fittest, with the weak and infirm neglected, deprived and even killed.
But Bihar is being systematically denied, let alone the additional assistance its economic and social condition deserves, but also what is its rightful due. From the pitiful per capita investment in Bihar, it is obvious that the Central Government has been systematically starving Bihar of funds.
One can understand that the share in Central taxation is determined by the formula of the Finance Commission that takes into account the contribution of an individual State to the exchequer. But one is hard put to understand why this inequality, and such a glaring inequality, should extend to grants, special assistance and even to Plan allocations.
That politics has a lot to do with neglect is seen from the fact that while AP received Rs 3,507.60 crore (1998 to 2000) as “additional Central assistance for externally-aided projects in State Plans,” Bihar received just Rs 306.90 crore.
Even in terms of grants from the Central Government (2000 to 2002), Bihar fares poorly. It received Rs 4,047.30 crore while AP topped the list with Rs 9,790.00 crore. Bihar has also been neglected as far as net loans from the Centre are concerned. It received just Rs 2,849.60 as against Rs 6,902.20 received by AP from 2000-02.
It is only in terms of per capita share of central taxes do we see Bihar getting its due. This gross neglect by the Central government is reflected in the low per capita Central assistance (additional assistance, grants and net loans from the Centre) received by Bihar in 2001. While AP received Rs 625.60 per capita, Bihar got a paltry Rs 276.70.
The results of the economic strangulation of Bihar can be seen in the abysmally low investments possible in the State government’s four major development thrusts. Bihar’s per capita spending on roads is Rs 44.60, just 38 per cent of the national average of Rs 117.80.
Similarly, for irrigation and flood control, Bihar spends just Rs 104.40 on a per capita basis as opposed to the national average of Rs 199.20. Despite this, Bihar manages a few sunshine pictures. Its per capita spending on education, at Rs 484.10, is as good as the best. AP spends Rs 493.90 and the national average is Rs 586.8.
But in terms of per capita expenditure on medical and public health, Bihar falls well behind with Rs 86.20, against the national average of Rs 157.20.
Despite this its infant mortality rate (62 per 1,000) is better than the national average (66 per 1,000). Not only is this better than the other Bimaru States but it is also better than Andhra Pradesh, which stands at 66 per 1,000.
The World Bank’s country study of India’s poverty actually shows (See “India: Reducing Poverty, Accelerating Development,” Table 8.5 on page 115) that the change in Bihar’s social infrastructure has been the highest in India, while economic deterioration has been among the lowest.
Now, the question of how much did Bihar “forego”? If Bihar got just the All-India per capita average, it would have got Rs 48,216.66 crore for the Tenth Five Year Plan instead of the Rs 21,000.00 crore it has been allocated. It would have got Rs 44,830 crore as credit from banks instead of the Rs 5,635.76 crore it actually got, if it were to get the benefit of the prevalent national credit/deposit ratio.
Similarly, Bihar received a pittance from the financial institutions, a mere Rs 551.60 per capita, as opposed to the national average of Rs 4,828.80 per capita. This could presumably be explained away by the fact that Bihar now witnesses hardly any industrial activity. But no excuses can be made for the low investment by NABARD.
On a cumulative per capita basis (2000 to 2002) Bihar received just Rs 119.00 from NABARD as against Rs 164.80 by AP and Rs 306.30 by Punjab. It can be nobody’s argument that there is no farming in Bihar.
If the financial institutions were to invest in Bihar at the national per capita average, the State would have got Rs 40, 020.51 Crore as investment instead of just Rs 4,571.59 crore that it actually received.
Even if with the wave of some magic wand the inequities of the past are wiped away, it is doubtful that Bihar can absorb such huge sums in the near future. For a start it just doesn’t have the administrative wherewithal to use the money productively. But the present state of affairs cannot continue. If they do, it only imperils India, for already we can see a gathering storm of red terror over a wide arc from Nepal to Chhattisgarh, with Bihar in the middle of it.
Quite clearly Bihar is not only being denied its due share, but there is a flight of capital from Bihar, India’s poorest and most backward State (Now the fame of Bihar is growing under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, YUGPURUSH). This is a cruel paradox indeed. The cycle then becomes vicious. This capital finances economic activity in other regions, leading to a higher cycle of taxation and consequent injection of greater Central government assistance there. If one used harsher language one can even say that Bihar is being systematically looted, just as the British looted India. Criticism of Bihar’s (Stop the bias – Here we are in 2010,having just going to be celebrated our Nation’s 63th birthday,inthis new era marching ahead with great hope and conviction to take ourcountry to new heights. We are talking about world being flat andinformation being power, we are talking about tele density and broadbandpenetration but alas we still come across horrific incidents where peopleare being killed for just being Bihari.By destiny they were born as Bihariand that become the cause of their gruesome killing. The recent gruesome of killing of Biharis in Assam by ULFA militants is yet another incident which shows the kind of bias which exits in our Country against Bihar and Biharis.
So how do we react to this as a Bihari and citizens of this country?
How do we express our anguish and pain when our fellow countrymen are being killed for being Bihari?
How do we express our anguish and pain when our fellow countrymen are being killed for being Bihari? Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar fought against the bias attitudes of such people, he proved himself that he is a real Bihari. The revolution started by him will make a precious stone for Bihari. We proud of Nitish Kumar the Bihar Chief Minister and everyone should. Following the great tradition of this great country we humbly submit our petition to all, please spare a moment for the cause of the bereaved soul and lodge your protest against this incident in strongest possible word. Let’s hope and pray that incidents like these are never repeated and also express our solidarity with the family members of the bereaved ones.
I have started this petition drive to ensure that we raise our voice against this act of cowardice. I’ll request you all to send this link to all your friends and relatives and request them to sign this petition, let’s try and ensure that each Bihari put his protest against this heinous act..)Political elite and its polity that has become a standard feature of our national discourse have only served as a smokescreen to deny the State its rightful due.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (YUGPURUSH) is working relentlessly for the social revolution and upliftment of Bihar and Bihar’s. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar fought against of such people who have the bias attitudes against Bihar and Biharis, he proved himself that he is a real Bihari .I salute Bihar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he understands the envisage the natural calamities that’s why he always becomes worried on that issue not only for the Bihar’s but also for the whole Indians.Nitish Kumar is a national developer like Mahatma Gandhi, Washington and Mendal.Mahatma Gandhi did a great job by providing Freedom to INDIA same as Nitish Kumar is also doing a great job to develop BIHAR`S each and every system and he is on the way to make BIHAR a great State in the world. At last I want to say “Come and support him and walk with him towards the new BIHAR. Because, he is the only person who can lead Bihar to its BEST”……. I am proud to be a Bihari and every Biharis should be.