Building Bihar 2.0: From Promises to Performance

K K Jha

As voters in Bihar head to the polls on 6 November 2025, in the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections, the stakes could not be higher. There is no gainsaying the fact that two decades under the leadership of Nitish Kumar have delivered meaningful infrastructure and governance improvements, yet the deeper challenge remains, and that is turning those gains into quality jobs, better health, and accelerated human development. If Bihar has to leapfrog on developmental parameters, the incoming government must shift from inputs to outcomes, or risk letting another round of potential slip through.

A platform built – but not yet a launch pad

There’s no denying the progress. Bihar’s growth has picked up, roads and rural electrification have improved, and some investor interest is beginning to show up, but from a very low base. According to the NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24, Bihar remains among the under-performing large states on critical dimensions like education, health, water & sanitation, and livelihoods.

While the “unemployment rate” has fallen to near 3 % in recent years, this statistic masks a far larger reality: low female labour-force participation, high informal and casual work, and a shortage of stable formal-sector jobs.

Jobs for millions, not just a few

Industrial investment remains timid in Bihar despite measurable action by the Bihar government in the recent past. While business and industrial clusters are coming up, actual inflows and manufacturing jobs are far from modest compared with larger states. Real transformation means meaningful employment, especially for youth and women. The evidence suggests the next government must focus sharply on translating hardware (roads, power) into software (skills, firms, jobs).

Fiscal and investment choices now matter

Thanks to better receipts and growth momentum, the state’s coffers have grown. But so have liabilities, salary and pension commitments, and portions of the budget spending remain unspent or surrendered. That means the next government must channel funds more strategically: capex that creates jobs, public-private cooperation that raises impact, and rigorous monitoring so money does not lie fallow.

Need to fix the fundamentals: health, education, and inclusion.

Behind the headlines of connectivity lie stubborn gaps: nutrition, learning outcomes, female labour participation, and quality health services. As NITI Aayog data show, Bihar’s human-development metrics continue to trail. Addressing these means more than grand announcements — it means targeted interventions, outcome-tracking (not just inputs), and transparency.

A 10-point blueprint for the coming government

The incoming government must launch an open dashboard aligned with SDGs to track critical outcomes — learning, employment, and health.

Re-orient capital spending to labor-intensive sectors: food-processing clusters, MSMEs, rural market links.

Pair skills with demand via apprenticeships and employer-led training.

Streamline industrial land-leasing and clearances to attract manufacturing jobs.

Strengthen agri-value chains so farming supports non-farm employment locally.

Raise female workforce participation through transport, skilling, and employer incentives.

Invest in early-childhood nutrition, remedial education, and community-health outreach.

Use concessional borrowing and PPPs for revenue-generating infrastructure — not recurrent costs.

Empower local government (panchayats) with data and conditional finance to deliver local solutions.

Set up a “Jobs & Growth Mission” with clear targets, public monitoring, and quarterly reviews.As Bihar voters cast their franchise on 6 November, it must not be based on just past gains; rather, it should be on demanding real, measurable change. The last 20 years have built the platform. The next five must finally deliver measurable leaps in jobs, human development, and dignity. Overlooked for too long are those parts of Bihar still lagging: women who can’t get work, young people who migrate for casual labour, and villages with low learning outcomes. They deserve more than grand promises — they deserve decisive action.

Today, Bihar stands at a crossroads. Infrastructure is ready, ambition is high. The missing link is outcomes that change lives. Only a government focused on execution, measurement, and reform can make those outcomes real. The electorate will decide whether the next chapter is a step-change — or just another phase of possibilities deferred.