Bihar: Economy

The state of Bihar lies in eastern India. Till 2000, the state of Jharkhand used to be a part of Bihar, but then it was carved out of Bihar. Jharkhand now lies at the southern and south-eastern borders of Bihar. During ancient and mediaeval times, Bihar used to be one of the main centres of culture, architecture, as well as trade and commerce. 

Economy of Bihar

The economy of Bihar is mainly agrarian-based, and it majorly produces fruits and vegetables. Though Bihar underwent significant gains in the field of manufacturing and mining since the 20th century, it still lags behind other states of India in terms of per capita income. A large chunk of the state’s population lives below the poverty level. With the separation of Jharkhand from Bihar, the major mining and manufacturing industries came under Jharkhand, thereby increasing the strain on Bihar’s economic conditions.

Agriculture:

About half of Bihar’s land area and three-fourths of the state population come under agricultural-based activities. With cultivation being practised at a maximum scale currently, it leaves little room for further growth and development in this sector. With respect to the climatic conditions, the cropping patterns involve growing both dry and wet crops. 

Rice is the dominant crop throughout the state, followed by other food crops like wheat, barley, millets, pulses, etc. Sugarcane is mainly grown in the north-western region, and jute which requires hot and humid climatic conditions is cultivated in the eastern region.

In terms of fruits and vegetables, some of the major producers include the regions of Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur for the production of fruits such as mangoes, lychees and bananas. Vegetables such as potatoes are cultivated near the region of Bihar Sharif, in the capital city of Patna. Cash crops such as tobacco and chillies are cultivated near the banks of the Ganges River.

Power and Resources:

Though the state’s supply comprises thermal and hydroelectric power plants, they are not sufficient for the state’s power demand. A major reason for this includes the loss of several important power stations to Jharkhand during the partitioning in 2000.

Manufacturing:

Bihar lags behind in terms of the manufacturing sector. Most people working in this sector mainly work in household commodity manufacturing, while the rest work in other industries such as metal, steel-based and food processing.

The main manufacturing industries are mainly based at Dalmianagar for chemicals, paper and cement: Patna for light manufacturing; and Baruni for petrochemicals. The agrarian-based industries include jute milling, sugar refineries, production of silk and tobacco. The traditional cottage industries are still a norm in Bihar, with the major ones being sericulture (rearing of silkworms for the manufacture of silk), glasswork, lac, pottery, handlooms and brassware. The Madhubani paintings are worldwide famous for the beautiful, unique portrayal of the stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata in the form of paintings.

Transportation:

Railways constitute a major mode of transportation for the state. The railway lines are generally constructed in parallel with the banks of the rivers, owing to the difficulty of building bridges across the rivers. The waterways, once a significant mode of transportation, are now insignificant. All-weather roads, though in a small number and several national highways pass through the state. It includes the Grand Trunk Road as well. Commercial airlines are available in the capital city of Patna.

Conclusion:

In this article, we saw an overview of the state of Bihar, the region famous for its fruit production in India. With the separation of Jharkhand from Bihar in the year 2000, the major mining and manufacturing industries came under Jharkhand, thereby increasing the strain on Bihar’s economic conditions. The economy of Bihar is mainly agrarian-based, and it majorly produces fruits and vegetables. About half of Bihar’s land area and three-fourths of the state population come under agricultural-based activities. Some of the major fruit producers are mangoes, lychees and bananas. Bihar lags behind in terms of the manufacturing sector. Most people working in the manufacturing sector mainly work in household commodity manufacturing, while the rest work in other industries such as metal, steel-based and food processing. Railways constitute a major mode of transportation for the state.