Indian state of Bihar, in the past, was always known as a place of new political beginnings. New political equations, national alliances cutting across the political parties with differences, policies, impossible political alliances (which has strength to change the national political scenario)and in some lighter vein for the eccentricities of its former chief minister Lalu prasad Yadav along with land where Buddha found enlightenment and Nalanda world University! It is rocked by the recent caste survey and crazy (or deliberate) ramblings of its present chief minister, Nitish Kumar!
The survey, along with social parameters, includes information about income and educational parameters. This is the first caste survey undertaken after the independence. The findings if the report find that the state is in dire conditions and poses a lot of questions.
As less as 34% – 9.4 million families are living on a meager income of Rs.6000 /- per month, which boils down to Rs.200/- per day. How these families are sustaining themselves should be seen by the politicians who hardly have done anything except amassing huge wealth for themselves in disparity with their legal income sources. As per the criteria set by the government, anything earned below Rupees 200 in a day is categorized as poor income and an indication of poverty. 29.61% families have monthly income in the range of Rs.6000 to Rs 10000. Upper level of Rs 50,000 income is shown by only 4.47% families.
Educational standards are also low. Graduates are only 7%. Post graduates? Hardly equals 1%. Nearly 96 % of people of Bihar do not owe any vehicle.
Poverty is all prevalent across the social strata. 42.93% poor families in the Scheduled Castes, 42.7% in Scheduled Tribes, 33.58% in extremely Backward Classes, and 33.16% in Other Backward Classes. NDTV reports that in 1990, Bihar was the poorest and most backward with the lowest literacy rate in the country. (https://www.ndtv.com/opinion/bihars-caste-survey-and-its-intractable-poverty-challenge-4557802)
It’s really pointless and hollow to boast more than 6% yearly economic growth if the economic developments are not reaching grass roots. The General Class of Society has more than 25% of families under the poor category. The lack of progress and inability to provide sources of livelihood by state compell people migrate to other states and live a life of hardships and bulging megacities to its limits. And, why only Bihar, the picture may present the same inequality in different proportions.
The report is of Bihar Caste Survey commissioned by Nitish Kumar government.
In social media and across TV channels, what stole the show is not the startling figures of the data, but the crass comments made by the learned chief minister of Bihar.
(As per the latest news, Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, has apologized for his comment on the women education’s role in population control while he was reacting to the dropped fertility tate in Bihar from 4.2% to 2.9%. In response to the state the state finds in the report, he proposed to raise the reservation quota from 50% to 65% )
He is a graduate in Engineering (BSc-Engineering) and adorned different prestigious ministerial portfolios like Agriculture and Co-operation, Railway, Surface Transport in the Indian government time to time and has enjoyed chief ministership of Bihar state in the years of 2000 ( 3/3/2000 – 10/3/2000), 2005,(24/11/2005 to 24/11/2010) 2010 (26/11/2010 – 17/5/2014) and 2015 -till date. His political shrewdness has kept his leadership in Bihar intact until now. Not only with these credentials, but also he is a respected politician cutting across the political parties. A convenor to unite all political parties in opposition to BJP at the national level.
He is at a ripe age of shrewd political 72, and, you can not say it is the slip of the tongue; but rather its been done deliberately to deviate the attention from the dire state of the state he is ruling since so many years.
It shows the true mirror of what Indians are now a days. Such surveys must be carried out in all states of India to have a correct picture of the development of all states irrespective of which political party rules it or if it is a Union Territory.
It surely will start a slugfest amongst different political parties without coming to any conclusion or solid solution with a major burden to be bare by Nitish Kumar and Party. And, that is what he tried to divert by a crude remark on a reduced birth rate. Earlier also in hooch tragedies, his reactions were dubious.
It’s incredulous that such a learned and experienced politician made such remarks when the caste survey report tabled and a discussion ensued in the assembly.
The discussion was on the caste report, and Nitish Kumar picked up the issue of reduced birth rate.
He equated it with girl education. He went on to say and wich sounded as – from Hindi to English,” After marriage a man and woman sleep together at night. If the girl is educated, she knows the right time and will ask the man to stop at the right time.(And, give birthto child)” His fellow party members,sitting behind him, can not control their laugh. Afterward, the Bihar government has increased the reservation limits as a possible solution to all shortcomings revealed by the report, which may hardly improve anything.
Most interestingly, it has drawn a reaction from American singer Mary Millben on ‘X’. She has requested the BJP to “empower a woman to lead Bihar” – Truly, we’ve gone global.
Bihar is not the only state where common people are facing a lack of development, amenities, and progress! It is not an exception. Unequal development, uneven distribution, and disparity in education, opportunities, and income are seen everywhere, compelling rural youth to cities, widening the gap. Only the caste survey, for which Bihar is the first state to undertake it, reveals the ground conditions. Otherwise, the Bihar Syndrome is present everywhere in India!
the-curators.org 
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