Has NDA Government in Bihar Failed to Deliver?

Head of government never meant anything when he stated that his administration will start filing cases against contractors’ delaying rural road projects for defacing public property. This is precisely the reply I got from his administration when I enquired using an RTI application whether chief minister has given any such instruction.  I would have expected that Chief Minister of Bihar, for whom I still do have high regards for some notable works he has been doing, would not make such false starts. Giving high hopes and then disappointing would not serve him in good stead, notwithstanding the fact that he is faced by thoroughly discredited and incompetent opposition. Political dynamics do change overnight.

Aforesaid, has not been the only instance. To my disappointment, state administration has been failing in various other domains as well. I would have expected that government would have employed the yardstick of migration to measure its success in critical areas of economic developments, higher education and tertiary healthcare. Even after seven years of its rule, state government has not been able to put up a plan for checking distressed migrations on aforementioned counts. When people from Bihar can pump in huge sum of money for higher education and also for tertiary healthcare elsewhere, then why such institutions cannot become viable in the state itself? While Bihar has most number of BPL populations and also most number of emigrants for jobs, yet it has failed to generate commensurate level of jobs under MNREGA year after year. It is lack of vision to say the least and inability to administer at the worst.

Its failing is also evident in Infrastructure. Bihar continues to be laggard bereft of any strategic thinking. How can one expect any industry when state does not have the basic ingredients required for the same? Special status or no special status, it will not make much difference. Even for enjoying the fruits of special status lot more needs to be done as preparatory works.  Greatest failure of state government is evident in not arguing even its case properly and forceful manner. While state has gone hammer and tong for special status, it ignored the plea for demanding special treatment for Kosi disaster region of 2008. Document after document shows low level of infrastructure development in state (Bihar is at the bottom along with Assam and Jharkhand), yet it has not pushed for completion of national gas grid. Again, Bihar government has failed to push Eastern Economic Corridor up the agenda of central government.  Similarly, there is not enough commitment for high dam on Kosi either. Most of the national highways in Bihar stand downgraded from four lane plans to now two lanes, yet state has failed to make an issue of it. Railway infrastructure is in crying needs for funding.  On electricity front also our plan seems to be quite mediocre.

Standard of our leadership has been so pathetic that they tom-tom getting one additional central university as a trophy for their achievements as if they have conquered the world. Fact is that Bihar has the least number of central institutes. Every now and then central government is going on starting and upgrading central institutes in other states without making much of news. But in Bihar, even a small improvement becomes cause celebre. We have set our benchmarks too low. Perhaps political class in the state are not only blind but also deaf not to know these self evident developments around us.

Petty politics is all that political class in Bihar has time for and is capable of. Acerbic politicians are their level best when talking about the chief minister of Gujarat, perhaps not knowing that Gujarat is not playing in the same league as Bihar. Gujarat has stopped talk of benchmarking itself to any other Indian state, much less Bihar, and is in process of constantly reinventing itself to compete with the world. Chief Minister of Gujarat, however maligned, has an unmatched development vision.  Ranting of Bihar leaders only reminds me of proverbial barking of dogs. Petty politics has always a possibility of landing egg on the face. I’ve not heard ‘Messiah of Peace’ Mr Nitish Kumar speaking on the barbaric act of Pakistan, his most loving host hardly a month ago. I wonder why of all the chief ministers of India, Pakistan always finds a Laloo or a Nitish as the most visionary leader.   Mr Kumar, you could do better than this to win over the respect of minority community in the state. Stop preying on their paint up sense of insecurity like Laloo has been doing.  I wish he would have rather visited Japan, South Korea, Thailand, UK, Germany, France and even USA, who are more likely to be the partner in development of Bihar.  Honest approach is likely to be appreciated by all whereas insincere efforts would get exposed in the due course.

Barring a few motivated officials, governance and administration has become last refuge of self seekers and hanger-on’s. Moron faces of political class in state gives away their true intent. I don’t know where JDU has been getting all those quarrelsome spokespersons for itself. They cannot change the state for better but talk as though they can transform this world into a haven. If a government re-elected with unqualified support of four-fifth majority cannot adequately champion the interest of its electorate or does not know how to get things done, then only god can deliver us from this dire situation.  Till then Biharis will keep on getting humiliated in Maharshtra, Delhi and everywhere else except perhaps the state they reside in. There also, they will continue to engage in a fratricidal battle among themselves.