Bihar has long been known as one of India's poorest states, ranking low on nearly all socio-economic measures. Yet under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has led the state for the past two decades since 2005, several key indicators have improved faster than the national average. Analysis of data from the National Family Health Survey shows Bihar closing the gap with all-India living standards in areas like electricity access, sanitation, drinking water, female education, and healthcare. By 2019-21, household electrification reached 96 per cent, nearly matching the national figure. Women with over ten years of schooling more than tripled, and institutional births rose from just 22 per cent to 76 per cent. Despite this progress, Bihar remains the poorest Indian state, with over 33 per cent of its population still multidimensionally poor, double the national average of 15 per cent.
Progress in Infrastructure and Basic Services
Under Nitish Kumar's leadership, Bihar achieved remarkable gains in household electricity access. By 2019-21, 96 per cent of homes reported electricity as their main lighting source, up from just one in four in 2005-06—a nearly 250 per cent increase. The national average grew only 42 per cent in the same period. Sanitation facilities also improved significantly, with nearly half of Bihar households gaining access to improved toilets by 2019-21, compared to around 15 per cent two decades earlier. However, piped drinking water remains a challenge: only 9 per cent of households had piped water access by 2019-21, far below the national average of 33 per cent.
Women's Education and Healthcare Gains
Nitish Kumar has focused strongly on women's welfare, starting with initiatives like the Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana in 2006, which provided free bicycles to schoolgirls. Women with more than ten years of schooling rose more than 3.5 times to reach 29 per cent by 2019-21, outpacing national growth rates. Institutional births—a key health indicator—jumped from 22 per cent in 2005-06 to 76 per cent by 2019-21, a threefold increase. While India's institutional birth rate reached 89 per cent, Bihar's faster growth reflects both investment in medical infrastructure and effective public health schemes, though challenges remain.
Source: Link