Relevance (UPSC GS-II: Social Development & Governance; GS-III: Inclusive Growth, Human Resources, Health, Nutrition)

What’s the news?

With elections approaching, data from national sources shows Bihar ranks near the bottom on most social and economic indicators—from health and nutrition to education, jobs and income. The pattern has been persistent across years and needs a mission-mode makeover.

Where the gaps show up

• Health & nutrition: High infant mortality, stunting and underweight rates; low full immunisation and sanitation usage hurt child survival and learning.
  
• Income & production: Per-capita income (NSDP) among the lowest; industrial share and manufacturing employment remain small; agriculture is dominant but yield and value addition are limited.
  
• Education: High drop-outs, weak secondary completion, and poor learning outcomes; girls’ participation improves but continuity after Class 8 remains a challenge.
  
• Human Development: HDI values remain low due to a combination of health, education, and income deficits.
  
• Environment & risk: Flood-prone basins (Kosi-Ganga) and river erosion raise vulnerability, disrupt schooling and health outreach, and deter private investment.
  

Why are outcomes weak?

1. Historical under-investment in health, education, and urban services.
   
2. High population density and land fragmentation → tiny farm holdings, low farm incomes.
   
3. Logistics gaps—power quality, storage, and roads improving but still uneven across districts.
   
4. Skill–jobs mismatch—a large young population migrates out because local non-farm jobs are limited.
   
5. Governance capacity—shortage of frontline workers, slow data use, and weak last-mile delivery in some programmes.
   

What can move the needle

• Health & nutrition first 1,000 days: Converge Poshan Abhiyaan, Janani Suraksha/LaQshya, Ayushman Bharat-Health & Wellness Centres, and Jal Jeevan Mission. Track low-weight births, antenatal care, and severe acute malnutrition fortnightly.
  
• School-to-skills ladder: Foundational literacy & numeracy recovery (Class 1–3), attendance nudges via nutritional support, and secondary school completion for girls (transport/hostels). Link Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI, and Skill India to district MSME clusters.
  
• Jobs where people live: Build food processing, textiles/leather, construction materials, and repair/services clusters near growth corridors; offer plug-and-play sheds, power reliability, and credit plus skilling through DAY-NRLM self-help groups.
  
• Farm income uplift: Pulses-oilseeds-maize rotations, micro-irrigation under PMKSY, farmer-producer organisations, dairy and fishery value chains, and warehouse/cold-chain at block level.
  
• Flood resilience: Raised schools/PHCs, all-weather access, embankment maintenance, early-warning and crop insurance expansion; link disaster plans with MGNREGA for drainage and desilting.
  
• Governance & data: Real-time district dashboards for birth weight, stunting, attendance, learning levels, electrification uptime, and scheme leakages; monthly public review by District Magistrate.
  

Important terms

• NSDP (Per-capita income): Average income of people in a state; low NSDP signals fewer non-farm jobs and low productivity.
  
• HDI: Composite of health (life expectancy), education, and income; captures overall human development.
  
• IMR (Infant Mortality Rate): Deaths of infants under one year per 1,000 live births; a core health metric.
  
• Stunting/Underweight: Measures of chronic and acute under-nutrition in children under five.
  
• Foundational literacy & numeracy: Ability to read with understanding and do basic math by Class 3; predicts later learning.
  
• Aspirational Districts approach: Data-driven, time-bound improvements through convergence and competition.
  

Exam hook

Build a cause → gap → fix chain: (i) health–nutrition deficits + (ii) low non-farm jobs + (iii) flood risk → propose a district action plan using Poshan + HWC + JJM, skills + MSME clusters, PMKSY + FPOs, and flood-resilient infrastructure with MGNREGA support.

Key takeaways

• Human development first: invest in mothers, infants, and schools; measure monthly.
  
• Jobs near home: cluster-based MSMEs, value-added agriculture, and services.
  
• Resilience pays: flood-ready public assets, insurance, and early-warning systems.
  
• Governance matters: data transparency, frontline staffing, and time-bound targets are decisive.
  

UPSC Mains question

“Bihar’s low ranks on health, education and income are mutually reinforcing. Suggest a five-point district plan that can deliver measurable gains in two years without large new spending.”

One-line wrap
Put people first—nutrition, learning, and local jobs—then back it with flood-safe infrastructure and transparent data to bend Bihar’s development curve.