IM_Bihar_compressed

CREATING CIVIL SERVANTS FOR THE NATION
UPSC CSE 2023

INTERVIEW
MATERIAL FOR
HOME STATE
BIHAR
UPSC CSE INTERVIEW MATERIAL 2023:: BIHAR
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HISTORY
The word „Bihar‟ originated from the „Viharas‟ which means the resting house of Buddhist monks but it was the
Muslim rulers of the 12th Century who started calling the state „Bihar‟.
Early History
 Chirand, on the northern
bank of the Ganga River, in
the Saran district, has an
archaeological record from
the Neolithic age (c. 2500–
1345 BCE). Regions of Bihar
– such as Magadha, Mithila,
and Anga – are mentioned
in religious texts and epics
of ancient India.
 Mithila gained prominence
after the establishment of
the Videha Kingdom.
During the late Vedic period
(c. 1100–500 BCE), Videha
became one of the major
political and cultural centres of South Asia, along with Kuru and Panchala. The kings of the Videha Kingdom
were called Janaka. Sita, a daughter of one of the Janakas of Mithila is mentioned as the consort of Lord Rama,
in the Hindu epic Ramayana, written by Valmiki.
 Based on the information found in texts pertaining to Jainism and Buddhism, Vajji was established as a
republic by the sixth century BCE, before the birth of Gautama Buddha in 563 BCE, making it the first known
republic in India.
 The Haryanka dynasty, founded in 684 BCE, ruled Magadha from the city of Rajgriha. The two well-known
kings from this dynasty were Bimbisara and his son Ajatashatru, who imprisoned his father to ascend the
throne. Ajatashatru founded the city of Pataliputra which later became the capital of Magadha. He declared
war and conquered the Vajjika League. The Haryanka dynasty was followed by the Shishunaga dynasty.
Later, the Nanda Dynasty ruled a vast tract stretching from Bengal to Punjab.
 The Nanda dynasty was replaced by the Maurya Empire, India's first empire. The Maurya Empire and the
religion of Buddhism arose in the region that now makes up modern Bihar. The Mauryan Empire, which
originated from Magadha in 325 BCE, was founded by Chandragupta Maurya, who was born in Magadha. It
had its capital at Pataliputra. Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, who was born in Pataliputra (Patna), is often
considered to be among the most accomplished rulers in world history. It was ruled by great rulers like
Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, and Ashoka.
 The Gupta Empire, which originated in Magadha in 240 CE, is referred to as the Golden Age of India in
science, mathematics, astronomy, commerce, religion, and Indian philosophy. This dynasty signifies the
establishment of the second empire in ancient Indian History. Gupta succeeded in bringing major parts of
India under a unified administration to a great extent. The difference between the Gupta empire‟s and
Mauryan empire‟s administrations was that in the Mauryan administration and power was centralized but in
the Gupta administration, power was more decentralized.
 The Guptas and Mauryas played an important role in the ancient history of Bihar and shaped the nation.
Nalanda University is a Buddhist research university located in Bihar.
 In the ancient kingdom of Magadha, an ancient Mahavihara, a revered Buddhist monastery that also served
as a recognized centre of study and research, is said to have existed. It is located around 95 km southeast of
Patna in viharas.
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 Archaeological evidence also points to a monastery built by one of the Shailendra dynasty‟s monarchs within
the complex, unearthed and recounted in the book‟s text. In the fifth and sixth centuries, the city of Nalanda
flourished and prospered under the patronage of the Gupta Empire and later under the leadership of Harsha,
the king of Kannauj. He built a university there in the fifth century.
 The liberal cultural traditions inherited from the Gupta age resulted in a period of growth and prosperity
until the ninth century. The subsequent centuries were a time of gradual decline, a period during which the
tantric developments of Buddhism became most pronounced in eastern India under the Pala Empire.
 During his tour to Nalanda, Xuanzang (602–664 AD), a Chinese Buddhist scholar, amassed six hundred and
fifty-seven of these Buddhist texts, which included several Mahayanist and around hundred and fifty relics,
which were brought to China with the help of over 20 horses packed in over five hundred cases. Xuanzang
translated seventy-four of the texts and returned them to his native China. Although the exact number of
volumes in the Nalanda library is unknown, it is believed to be hundreds of thousands. According to legend,
Nalanda University‟s library and other structures were destroyed in 1193 CE. Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar
Khalji, a Turkic chieftain serving under an Awadh commander at the time, is said to have inflicted the
damage.
Buddhism in Bihar:
 Bihar is the birthplace of Buddhism because it is the place
where the divine light of enlightenment was showered on
Gautama Buddha. It was a place where Buddha attained
enlightenment, delivered his first sermon which was called
“Dharma Chakra Parivartan” and announced his
“Parinirvana”
Bihar during Pala Empire:

 The Pala Empire was a Buddhist supreme power in ancient
India. The term 'Pala' means protector and was used as an
ending to the names of all Pala monarchs. Palas were
followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of
Buddhism. Gopala was the first ruler of the dynasty.
According to the Pala copper plate inscription, Devpala
exterminated the Utkalas, conquered the Praggyotisha
(Assam), shattered the pride of the Hunas and humbled the lords of
Pratiharas, Gurjara and the Dravida. The Pala created many temples and works of art as well as supported the
universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila.
Medieval History of Bihar:

 Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji was one of the Military Generals of Qutb-ud-din Aibek who invaded some
parts of eastern India at the end of the 12th Century and at the beginning of the 13th Century. During his
invasion, many viharas and universities were sacked and thousands of Buddhist monks were massacred.
 He established a town called Bakhtiyarpur.
List of Medieval Dynasties that ruled Bihar

1. Slave Dynasty: During slave rule, the local ruler was independent but they gave taxes to the rulers because
they had control over some parts of Bihar.
2. Khilji Dynasty: When Allaudin Khilji ascended the throne in 1296 A.D. he sent Sheikh Mohammad Ismail to
conquer Darbhanga. But Sheikh was defeated by local ruler Raja Sakra Singh. Then again, he invaded
Darbhanga and made his allies. After the war treaty, the local king participated in the Ranthambore invasion.
Later, Hatim Khan who was the son of Firozshah was made governor of Bihar between 1315-1321 AD.
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3. Tughlaq Dynasty: The invasion of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq created chaos in the region because some local kings
like Harisingh fled, and some other rulers showed friendly gestures. But after all the chaotic situation created
by the invasion, the Tughlaq Dynasty resurrects the ruling condition and made Ahmed Governor of the
Tirhut region.
 During Tughlaq rule, Darbhanga was called Tughlaqpur and during this time, Bihar‟s name was given.
 Malik Ibrahim was the most capable ruler of the Tughlaq Dynasty in Bihar.
4. Noohani Dynasty: It came into existence after political changes in Delhi when Sikandar Lodhi ascended the
throne. He made Dariya Khan Lohani an administrator of Bihar.
 Bahar Khan Lodhi followed him and declared an independent ruler by adopting the title of „Sultan
Mohammad‟
 Jalal Khan, who was a son of Sultan Mohammad sworn as ruler under the protection of Farid Khan or Sher
Khan. Sher Khan led the invasion of Bengal and successfully occupied it.
5. Cher Dynasty: This dynasty emerged after the decline of the Pala Dynasty and established a powerful state in
Bhojpur, Saran, Champaran, Muzaffarpur, and Palamu districts.
6. Bhojpur’s Ujjaini Dynasty: This dynasty emerged when Bhojraj killed Sahasbal of Cher. He is known as
Santan Singh. After him, the region was ruled by Somraj followed by Harraj and Sangram Dev who made
Dhaba as his capital.
7. Raja Narayana regained the glory of the Ujjain Dynasty and made Buxar his capital till the British came here.
8. Sur Dynasty: The Golden era of Medieval Bihar was at the zenith point during the rule of Sher Shah Suri.
Before being called Sher Shah, he was known as Farid Khan. He took the title of Sher Shah Sultan-e-Adil after
the victory in the battle of Chausa.
 The architecture of Sher Shah Suri Tomb: It is sometimes called India's 'Second Taj Mahal' and in 1998 was
included in UNESCO's tentative list of World Heritage Monuments.
 Built between 1540 and 1545, the most fascinating aspect of the Sher Shah Suri Tomb is that it is in the middle
of a lake surrounded by water. The lake which was manmade just for the purpose of surrounding the tomb is
square in shape. This was probably done intentionally, as the plinth is made up of stone banks and steps.
 The tomb is made of red sandstone and has decorative domed kiosks which are circular-shaped roofs held up
by pillars. At one time the roofs over these kiosks were decorated with colourful and intricate tile work and
carved stone flowers.
9. Mughal Rule: Bihar was conquered by Akbar in 1574 and formally organized as a subah in 1580. It remained
under effective Mughal control till the reign of Aurangazeb (1707), after which it gradually passed under the
control of the Bengal nawabs.
MODERN HISTORY OF BIHAR

European Companies in Bihar
 First European to enter Bihar: Portuguese
 Hooghly was the first place in the region where the Portuguese established their factory in 1579-80 when
Emperor Akbar gave permission to Portuguese captain Pedro Tavares.
 Built a convent and a church in Bandel which was the first Christian church in Bengal known as „Bandel
Church‟ today
 British were the second European who built their factory in Patna at Alamganj in 1620 but was got closed in
1621.
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 Again in 1651, the British East India Company revived the factory which is now turned into governing
printing press at Gulzar Bagh.
 Dutch East India Company also established their factory at Patna in 1632 which is now the place known as
Patna College.
 In 1774, Danes East India Company established their factory at Nepali Kothi in Patna.
British East India Company and Bihar

 Battle of Buxar (22nd October 1764): fought between British Forces under Hector Munro, and a combined
army of Mughals under Shah Alam II, Mir Qasim (Nawab of Awadh), and Shuja-ud-daula (Nawab of
Bengal).
 After the Battle, the British signed two separate Treaty of Allahabad for the Diwani rights of Bengal and Bihar
(One with Mughal Ruler Shah Alam II and the Second with Shuja-ud-Daula).
 For the exercise of Diwani functions, the Company appointed two deputy diwans, Mohammad Reza Khan for
Bengal and Raja Sitab Roy for Bihar.
 The „Revenue Council of Patna‟ was constituted in 1770 and was replaced by a position named „Revenue
Chief of Bihar‟ in 1781.
 Warren Hastings (Governor-General of India) in 1783 ordered to construct a dome-shaped granary of
Golghar, in order to fight against famine. Captain John Garstin in 1786 AD built the massive granary.
 Lord Cornwallis introduced Permanent Settlement in Bengal, Orissa and Madras to fix the share of revenue
i.e. 10/11th for British and 1/11th for Zamindars.
1857 Revolt and Bihar

 The revolt in Bihar was started in Deoghar (now in Jharkhand) district at the headquarters of 32nd Infantry
Regiment on 12th June, 1857. Two British officers Lt. Norman Leslie and Sergeant Dr Grant were in this
revolt. But the revolt was crushed by McDonald.
 On 3rd July, revolt was started in Patna under Pir Ali who was a book seller in which British Opium trader Dr
Lyell was killed.
 The revolt at Danapur Cantt. marked the widespread beginning of revolt in Bihar on 25th July, 1857 but the
Maharajas of Darbhanga, Dumrao and Hatwa and their fellow landlords helped the British with man-power
and money in crushing the revolt.
 Babu Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur, most notable figure of revolt, actively led a band of armed forces of 4000
soldiers and recorded victories in many battles. He successfully occupied Arrah on July, 1857 and later with
the help of Nana Saheb defeated British forces at Azamgarh.
British Raj in Bihar

1. Bihar under British especially Patna retain its lost glory and emerged as an important strategic center for
learning and trade in British India.
2. It remained a part of the Bengal Presidency of British India until 1912, when the province of Bihar and Orissa
was carved out as a separate province.
3. After 1905, there were several changes in British administrative set up: Delhi became Capital of British India
(resulted due to Delhi Darbar of 1911 which was attained by King George V).
4. Patna became capital city of new province and the city was stretched westward to suit the administrative
base. For example- Bankpore Township took shape along the Bailey Road.
5. There were number of educational institutions were built by British in Patna such as Patna College, Patna
Science College, Bihar College Engineering, Prince of Wales Medical College and the Patna Veterinary
College.
Movements in Bihar
Bihar was one of the active participants of the revolts and movement of freedom struggle against British atrocities.
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Wahabi Movement
1. The movement was inspired by the Abdul Wahab of Saudi Arabia and Shah Waliullah of Delhi.
2. Haji Shariyatlluah was its main leader and Patna was the Centre from 1828 to 1868.
Revolutionary Movement
1. A branch of Anushilan Samiti was established in Patna by Sachindranath Sanyal in 1913 and Bankimchandra
Mitra of BN College was given responsibilities to lead the organisation.
Champaran Satyagarha
1. It was started in 1917 and was the M.K Gandhi‟s first Civil Disobedience Movement.
2. Rajkumar Shukla and Raam Lal Shah had invited M.K Gandhi to look after the system of Tinkathiya which
means the peasants to grow indigo on 3/20th of the total land.
3. M.K Gandhi was accompanied by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Brajkishore Prasad, Acharya Kriplani, Dr. Anugrah
Narayan Sinha, Mahadeo Desai, C. F. Andrews, H. S. Pollock, Raj Kishore Prasad, Ram Nawami Prasad,
Shambhu Sharan and Dharnidhar Prasad.
4. Movement forced the British Government to form committee i.e. Champaran Committee to make enquiry
against the atrocities. M.K Gandhi was the member of the committee and he convinced that authority on the
atrocities perpetuated under the Tinkathiya System, so it should be abolished and compensation is given to
the peasants.
5. It was the first victory of Gandhi‟s Civil Disobedience battle.
Non-Cooperation Movement
1. It was started by M.K Gandhi in the backdrop of Jalliawalan Bagh Massacre, Khilafat Movement and Rowlatt
Act.
2. In August 1920, the Bihar Congress meets under the president ship of Dr. Rajendra Prasad passed the non-
cooperation resolution which was introduced by Dharnidhar Prasad and Shah Mohammad Zubair.
3. Dr. Rajendra Prasad constituted the committee on the movement with Shah Mohammad Zubair and Mazhar-
ul-Haq.
4. M.K Gandhi inaugurated „Bihar National College‟ and its building „Bihar Vidhyapeeth‟ in February 1922.
5. Mazhar-ul-Haq started the newspaper Motherland in September 1921 to disseminate the HinduMuslim
Unity and Gandhian Ideology.
6. Prince of Wales (British) visited in Bihar which was opposed by the Congress.
Swarajist Movement
1. In December, 1922, All India Congress Session was held in Gaya under the presidency of Chitaranjan Das.
2. This session resultant ideological faction between congress- one who support the entry of legislative council
and other who opposes and supported Gandhian path.
3. CR Das, Motilala Nehru and Ajmal Khan was the supporter of the entry of legislative council.
4. Vallabh bhai Patel, C Rajagopalachari and MA Ansari was the non-supporters of the entry of legislative
council.
5. Motilal Nehru and Chitranjan Das formed Swaraj Dal. Narayan Prasad was the first Chairman and Abdul
Bari was the first Secretary.
6. A branch of Swaraj Dal was formed in Bihar which was led by Srikrishan Singh.
Simon Commission
1. For boycotting Simon Commission, All Party Meeting was organized in the leadership of Anurah Narayan
Sinha.
2. Commission reached Patna on 12th December, 1928.
Boycott Movement
1. It was a movement of boycotting of foreign goods and adoption of desi-goods.
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2. In Bihar Congress committee started campaign of popularizing Khadi through Magic lantern to reach villages
and carried signature campaign.
Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence Resolution)

1. On 20th January 1930, Bihar Congress Working Committee endorsed the plan of complete independence of
Congress through the unfurling the Flag.
Civil Disobedience Movement

1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad drafted the Salt Satyagraha and chosen
6th April, 1930 as the date of the movement.
2. Pt. Jawaharlal visited Bihar for the success of the
Satyagraha. He travelled to Bihar from 31st March to 3rd
April 1930.
3. Movement was begun in Champaran and Saran districts
and later influence the region of Patna, Bettieh, Hajipur,
and Darbhanga.
4. Movement emphasises the use of Khadi and gave a strong
message against intoxicating drinks, refusal to pay
Chaukidari tax.
5. Swadeshi Committee was set up at Patna.
6. Movement got great participation of women from every
section of society.
7. Sachidanad Sinha, Hasan Imam and Sir Ali Imam were the
prominent leaders.
8. Bihpur Satyagraha was started at the same time.
9. In the protest of lathi‟s charge against Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Prof. Abdul Bari, Rai Bahadur Dwarkanath
resigned from Bihar Legislative Council.
10. Chandarvati Devi and Ramsunder Singh were other leaders of the movement who took active participation.
11. Champaran, Bhojpur, Purnia, Saran, and Muzaffarpur was important district where the movement got
flourished.
12. Gorkha Police were employed for the brutal suppression of the movement.
Kisan Sabha and Bihar

1. Kisan Sabha was organized in 1922 by Mohammad Zubair and Sri Krishna Singh in Munger.
2. Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha was formed in 1929 by Swami Shajanand Saraswati to mobilize peasant‟s
grievances against Zamindar‟s atrocities of occupancy rights.
3. United Political Party was formed by Zamindars to suppress peasants.
4. Bihar Kisan Sabha was formed in 1933.
5. All-India Kisan Sabha was formed in 1936. Swami Shajanand Saraswati was President and NG Ranga was
made secretary.
6. Pandit Yamuna Karjee and Rahul Sankrityayan who was followers of Swami Shajanand Saraswati started the
Hindi weekly “Hunkar” in 1940 which became the mouthpiece of agrarian and peasant movement in Bihar.
Bihar Socialist Party

1. It was formed in 1931 by Ganga Sharan Sinha, Rambriksh Benipuri and Ramanand Mishra.
2. Bihar Congress Socialist Party was formed in 1934 when Jai Prakash Narayan convened a meeting at
Anjuman Islamia Hall in Patna. Archarya Narendra Dev was the first president and Jai Prakash Narayan was
made General-Secretary.
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First Congress Cabinet in Bihar

1. Government of India Act, of 1935 came with constitutional remedies and provincial autonomy in the state as
well as dual administration in the Centre that resulted in many constructive works. For example- Elections
were held in 152 election zones. Congress fights election with 107 members of which 98 were winners.
2. Congress got a massive majority in the legislative council in which 8 candidates were the winners but Sri
Krishna Singh refuses to form a government. Hence, Mohammad Yunus who was the leader of independent
candidates formed the government. Thus, Mohammad Yunus was the first Prime Minister of Bihar.
3. On 20th July, Congress Cabinet was formed by Sri Krishna Singh.
4. Sri Ramdayalu Singh and Prof. Abdul Bari were the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Council
respectively.
5. Newly elected minister did tremendous jobs like the removal of the ban on the press, and magazines, the
release of political prisoners, the removal the problems of Kashtkari Bandobast and raising the status of
Harijans.
6. Resignation of Shri Krishna Singh when the British announced that India is also participating in the Second
World War and Congress started resentment of the decision.
Quit India Movement

1. Congress Committee in Bihar under the leadership of Dr Rajendra Prasad drafted the line of action towards
the movement on 31st July 1942.
2. Several outrages were going on like unfurled of the national Flag but the British came with herculean attempt
to crush the movement. WC Archer, District Magistrate, ordered firing at several places.
Freedom Fighters of Bihar

1. State had given famous leaders like Swami Shahjanand Saraswati, Shaheed Baikuntha Shukla, Bihar Bibhuti
Anurag Narayan Singh, Maulana Mazhar-Ul-Haq, Loknayak Jaiparakash Narayan, Bhadra Yajee, Pandit
Yamuna Karjee, Dr. Maghfoor Ahmed Ajazi.
2. Upendra Narayan Jha “Azad” and Prafulla Chaki were also active revolutionary of Bihar.
Post-Independence History:
 In 1956, when the Indian States were bifurcated on a linguistic basis, some territory was transferred from
Bihar to West Bengal. In 1990, for the first-time post-independence, a state government was elected from a
party other than that controlling the national government, and in 2000 most of the Chota Nagpur plateau in
Bihar‟s southern region became part of the new state of Jharkhand.
Culture
 The state is known for its heritage site of Buddhism and Jainism followers. Lord Gautam Buddha attained
enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. The people of Bihar celebrate many festivals to give tribute to their God. There
is not any specific religion living in the state. The people of Bihar are a mixture of many religious groups, who
live together and follow their customs and ceremonies. The state‟s population is a combination of Hindus,
Muslims, Jainism, Buddhism, and Christians.
Sufism in Bihar:
 Bihar has been one of the earliest places in India where Muslim Sufi saints had settled. The most important of
all the Sufi orders in Bihar, however, was the Suhrawardiya, particularly its sub-section, the Firdausiya
Silsilah.
 One of its most celebrated Sufi Saints was Sharafuddin Ahmad.He was born in Maner in 1262 and died in
Biharsharif in 1377. The other important Sufi orders in Bihar are as follows: Chistiya, Suhrawardiya, Qadiriya,
Firdausiya, Shattariya and Madariya.
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Architecture
 There are many structural relics that indicate the gap between prehistoric times and later periods. The
buildings and works of art of the early Mauryan era were mostly created on wood. The ancient city of
Pataliputra had wooden pillars and fortifications, which reveals high-order workmanship. Indubitable
evidence furnished in Sanskrit and Pali literacy sources indicates the existence of a highly developed art other
than the sculptures of pre-Ashokan Magadha.
 Gradually, magnificent monuments executed in stone began to appear in Bihar during the Mauryan period.
Burnt bricks and lime were used for construction. Houses were provided with pillars, windows, and stairs.
Fortified cities and palaces had a wall around them interspersed with gateways and watch-towers and ditches
outside. The cities had well-planned streets and different classes of people occupied special quarters set apart
for them.
Mauryan Pillars & Sculptures:

 The Lion-crowned pillar, Lauriya-Namdangarh in Champaran, is the finest monolithic pillar of Ashoka. It
consists of a polished block of sandstone 10.1 meters long with a capital nearly 2.13 meters in length. Two
other inscribed pillars are found at Rampurwa and Lauriya at Basark. All four were set up on the imperial
road from Pataliputra to Nepal. The edicts of the emperor are inscribed on rocks at the Dhauli Hill in Orissa
and on a hill near Sasaram in Bihar.
 Buddhistic statuary in the Gaya district is the only class of Indian Buddhist art that has come down through
the ages in a fair state of completeness. At Bodh Gaya, the oldest Buddhist memorial (55 meters high temple)
is a stone railing ornamented with friezes, panels, and bosses, that shows considerable artistic skill. The stupa
was originally a copy in brick or stone of an earthen sepulchral tumulus and ended with the ornamented spire
of the medieval period.
Islamic Architecture:
 Islamic architecture has Minar domes, vaults, and arches with exclusive use of mortar and concrete. A typical
architectural splendour is the mausoleum of Magdum Shah Daulat at Maner, 29 kilometres west of Patna.
Hindu symbols representing elephants, bulls and lotuses are also carved on its walls.
 The buildings at Bankipur and Padri-ki-Haveli are constructed per Gothic architecture. Golghar is the site of
a famous granary, built in 1786. The Sultan Palace on Gardiner Road, Patna represents the twentieth-century
Muslim architectural style.
Folk Music
1. Sohar: It is an extremely popular folk form. Like all forms of folk music in Bihar, this form is integrally
connected with a very significant event of social life - the birth of a child in the family. The folk songs of Bihar
were seldom created for the sake of artistic expression by itself. Almost all folk forms have a social relevance
connected to it. As such, they continue to be integrally connected to the lives of the people who participate in
the performances and those who arrange for them and listen to them. Bihar's Sohar is also popular in the
neighbouring state of Jharkhand where they are sung much for the same purpose.
2. Sumangaliu It employs tunes that have come down through the ages. Instrumentation, when used at all, is of
an extremely simple and traditional kind. The auspicious nature of these ritualistic songs is never lost. The
newlywed is blessed on their way to a new life. Being sung specifically by women, like marriage songs in
most places around the world, they take up great significance as they are often used to voice anxieties and
dissents of women within a largely patriarchal society.
3. Ropnigeet: Ropnigeet of Bihar is a prominent folk song of the state. It is basically a work song sung in groups.
Ropnigeet is associated with the activity of sowing paddy seeds, the sowing of which is more than a simple
agricultural activity in Bihar. It is associated with hope, rejuvenation, and the beginning of a new working
season for the largely poor farmers of Bihar. It was these simple, humble, and largely illiterate farmers who
spontaneously founded this wonderful folk form to celebrate the occasion and ease their labour.
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4. Katnigeet: Katnigeet of Bihar is a folk music form that is associated with the harvesting of paddy in the state.
It is a work song and as integral a part of Bihar's folk culture as rice itself is in the lives of the inhabitants of
the Gangetic plains of Bihar. The poor rural people of Bihar tend to commemorate every sphere of their
activity with music and dances. These musical expressions provide entertainment and help them to face the
harsh realities of life. Bihar's Katnigeet is no exception. If the Ropnigeet is sung to celebrate the sowing of
paddy seeds in the middle of high summer, then Katnigeet celebrates the successful completion of the
process. It is a noble folk form which exalts the new harvest which becomes a symbol of prosperity and
plenty.
Folk Dance
1. Karma Dance: The traditional Karma Dance gets its name from the Karma tree which stands for fortune and
good luck. The dance begins with the planting of the tree, followed by circular formations around it. In this
group dance, there are usually as many men as women dancers. The dancers form a two-tiered formation and
the movements are usually backwards and forward, towards and away from each other. The dancers swing to
the rhythm of the drum and the clapping of the women folk. Later, breaking the formation, the dancer‟s
thread in and out and the body movements involve bending of the torso and the knees. The dancers put their
arms around the waists of their neighbours and form semi-circular rows. Each row of dancers sings and
dances alternately to the accompaniment of the Mandur and Timki. Drums beat fast and loud and the dance
ends on a happy note. The choreography is imaginative and the themes of the songs are contemporary and
relevant.
2. Jhijhia Dance: Jhijhia is a prayer dance that originated in the Koshi region of Bihar and is performed during
droughts when the land is dry and parched and there are no signs of clouds in the lifeless sky. Through the
Jhijhia dance, the young girls offer their prayers to the King of Gods, Lord Indra. The dancers pray to the Lord
of Rains for life-giving rain and a good crop.
3. Kajri Dance: The Kajri Dance welcomes the beautiful season of the Monsoon. The young girls of the village
dance in gay abandon out in the open to express their joy at the approach of the season of fulfilment. The
dance is usually performed in the months of Shravan and Bhadrapada. The young girls bathed in the romance
of the season exchange notes with each other about their beloveds.
4. Jhumar Dance: Jhumar is a traditional folk dance of Bihar, which is performed by rural women. There is no
fixed season for this beautiful dance form. Spring descends on earth with its beauty and spreads joy and
happiness all around. The women dance with gay abandon. The men folk are invited to join in and they
usually provide the musical accompaniment.
5. Bhojpuri Jhumar Dance: Bhojpuri music and dance are popular in Magadh and its surrounding districts in
Bihar. Bhojpuri Jhumar is a famous folk dance of the Bhojpuri people. With the advent of Spring, nature
blossoms into a riot of colour and fragrance. The people of this region welcome Spring with vibrant songs and
dances. This rhythmic dance form is an expression of the joys and sorrows of the people.
6. Magahi Jhumar Dance: The Magahi Jhumar dance is usually presented in the form of a duet, where male and
female dancers play the role of husband and wife. They dance in unison, expressing their desires and
aspirations. The wife asks her husband for good clothes and beautiful ornaments. The husband promises to
give her everything she desires. This vibrant folk dance is performed to the accompaniment of melodious
music.
7. Jharni Dance: The Jharni Dance is a ritualistic dance performed by the Julaha community during Muharram.
The dancers use bamboo sticks split at one end. They stand in a circular formation and move around, each
dancer striking the stick of his partner. The sound produced provides the beat for the dance.
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8. Jat Jatin: The women of the Mithilanchal region perform the Jat Jatin dance on moonlit nights during the
Monsoons. Unmarried girls and young housewives assemble in a courtyard and accompanied by a drum,
dance from midnight to dawn. As they dance, they enact in gestures the epic story of the love of Jata and
Jatin. The most dramatic part of the dance is when a wicked boatman breaks through the dancing ring and
kidnaps the beautiful Jatin. The lovers are separated but as in all folk tales all ends well and the lovers live
happily ever after.
9. Jhumeri: Jhumeri is a folk dance from Mithilanchal. After the month of Ashwin comes Kartick with its clear
skies. On the full moon night of Kartick the young maidens of the village sing and dance to celebrate the turn
of the season.
10. Sohar Khelwana: Sohar Khelwana is a dance performed by women to celebrate the birth of a child. In India,
the arrival of a new born is celebrated with traditional rituals. The child receives blessings from family
members, neighbours, and well-wishers. Through the Sohar songs, the women compare the new born to Lord
Rama and Lord Krishna, popular Hindu Gods who are the embodiments of virtue. The eunuchs are an
integral part of the celebration of childbirth and take part in this dance.
11. Holi Dance (Dhamar Jogira): Spring arrives, resplendent in the colours of 'abir' as the magic of Holi sweeps
across the land. Commemorative of the victory of good over evil, the Festival of Colours is celebrated with
unabated enthusiasm by the young and old alike. Come Holi and the hues of the rainbow deck the air in fine
mists, the streets in tell-tale smears and our hearts with the joyful hope that peace and happiness shall reign.
The Holi dance is a vibrant dance form of Bihar. The accompanying songs are sung in the Dhamar style.
12. Chhath Puja: Chhath is the most important and holy festival of Bihar, celebrated in the month of Kartick. The
Puja is unique because it is possibly the only festival in which the devotees worship the setting sun before
worshipping the rising sun. The first offering or 'Arghya' is done at sunset, after which the worshippers spend
the night on the banks of the river Ganges. The next morning, they offer 'Arghya' to the rising sun, before
returning home.
13. Devas: In the months of Chaitra and Ashwin (during the Navaratri period), Shakti Puja is performed.
Devotees believe that the Devi enters the body of a mortal on hearing the prayers of the Pujari. The dance
depicts this divine presence in our midst.
14. Krishi Nritya: The rains have quenched the earth's thirst. The sight of their fields rich with the golden crop
fills the farmers' hearts with joy. They express their happiness through dances, which are rhythmic and
enjoyable.
15. Kishan Nritya: This dance is an expression of pride for the farmers of Bihar. The dance brings together the
farmers of the state in a bond of brotherhood.
16. Chaita: Chaita songs, as the name suggests, are sung in the month of Chaitra, when flowers appear in the
mustard plants. Men sing these romantic songs.
17. Nachni: The Nachni dances with her Rashik or male partner, to the singing and clapping of male
accompanists. Nachni dances are presented at various festivals and special occasions. The Nachni is not only
the dancer but also the singer. The accompanying musical instruments include the Nagara, Shenai and
Harmonium.
18. Natua: The Natua dance begins with an item called the Natua Kachal. In this duet performance, the
accompanying musical instruments include the Nagara, Dhol and Shenai. The costumes worn by the dancers
are indigenous and attractive.
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Paintings
 Bihar's own painting style is believed to have been developed during the Gupta era. The modern paintings of
Bihar include world-class painting styles, be it Madhubani Art, Patna Kalam, or traditional wall paintings.
These paintings are a blend of ancient styles with modern themes, techniques, and colours. Artists of Bihar
use sharp colours, like deep red, green, blue, and black, along with yellow, pink, and lemon in the paintings.
Mithila Paintings or Madhubani Art, Bihar

 Madhubani Art, also called Mithila or Maithili Paintings, is the prominent form of paintings of Bihar,
practised by women of the Mithila region of Bihar, comprising the Maithili-speaking region in the northern
part of the state and bordering the Mithila state of Nepal. The painting is done with fingers, twigs, brushes,
nib pens and matchsticks, using natural dyes and pigments, characterized by striking geometrical patterns.
The subject of Mithila Paintings comprises ritualistic content for specific auspicious occasions, such as birth or
marriage, and festivals such as Holi, Kali Puja, Surya Shasthi, Upanayanam and Durga Puja.
 The origin of the art is traced to the age of Ramayana when King Janakpuri had assigned the task of painting
sketches of Sita's marriage to Lord Rama to a few artists.
 Madhubani Art has 5 distinctive styles - Bharni, Katchni, Tantrik, Godna and Gobar. It first received official
recognition in 1969 when Sita Devi who specialised in the art received a State award from the Government of
Bihar. Today, it has become a globally recognised and practised art form, thus there is no difference in the
work of artists of the region based on the caste system. They practise the paintings in all five styles.
Mali Paintings, Bihar

 Mali Paintings are paintings done on caskets by the Hindu castes of Bihar, whose chief occupation is making
garlands for worship. Such caskets are made by men and colours are filled in by women and girls. The
paintings on the caskets are exemplified by brilliant and dazzling colours that are elegant and eye-catchy,
whilst their subjects are not portrayed in a literal or naturalistic manner and wildest distortions are used
instead by painters to express an idea.
Language
 Hindi is the official language of the State of Bihar. Urdu is the second official language in 15 districts of the
State. Maithili is a recognized language of the state. However, most of the people of Bihar speak one of the
Bhojpuri languages, most of which as classified as dialects of Hindi during the census. The major ones are
Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Magahi which are spoken in large numbers. Maithili is a recognised regional language
of India under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Smaller communities of Bengali and Santali
speakers are found in the eastern districts of the state.
Fairs and Festivals

1. Sonpur Mela: It has its origins are traced back to the times of Chandragupta Maurya, the first ruler of India.
Historians believe that the emperor used this fair as an opportunity to make purchases of elephants and
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horses for his huge army. Sonpur Mela has an extensive range of decorated elephants, all lined up for sale as
its star attraction. These giant yet gentle creatures are all made to settle in the Haathi Bazaar (elephant
market), where tourists can touch and feed them while the auction is on. Besides, this vibrant fair dominates
with different varieties of birds, poultries, cattle, the stalls of which are all smeared up in the colourful attires
of a fancy handicraft store. Stalls at the Sonpur Mela get all loaded with items like agricultural implements,
garments, perfumes, handicrafts, and utensils in wood and brass. The religious side of the Sonpur Mela
brings thousands of Hindu pilgrims and devotees for the sacred dip at the confluence of river Ganga and
river Gandak. It is believed that taking a dip here, particularly at the auspicious time of the full moon purifies
oneself from within his inner self.
2. Kalachakara Festival: The Kalachakra festival is organized in Bodhgaya, the place where Lord Buddha
attained enlightenment and lasts for ten days wherein many people come together to create inner peace. As
per Vajrayana Buddhism, Kalachakra is related to the concept of time and cycles in Buddhism. The cycles
include everything right from the cycle of human breathing to the cycle of planets. The Kalachakra festival
includes a few meditations, prayers, chants, vows and dances. This ancient ritual is performed with the single
aim of bringing in world peace. Kalachakra Festival is celebrated on a large scale where the Dalai Lama gives
a session of his teachings to a huge public audience. The Initiation given by Dalai Lama is believed to lead to a
path where positive energies are generated in the body. These energies make one experience life in a Buddhist
way.
3. Rajgir Dance Festival: Rajgir Dance festival is a celebration of classical dance and music that takes every year
with great enthusiasm at Rajgir in the state of Bihar. Rajgir Mahotsav is like an extravagant carnival of dance
and music filling the whole place with creative energy. Full of action, the dance festival consists of devotional
music, instrumental music with opera-style music coupled with different kinds of folk-dance forms, classical
dance forms, and impressive ballets.
4. Makar Sankranti Mela: The most popular Makar Sankranti Mela in Bihar is another festival which is
something exclusive to Rajgir. The pilgrims visiting the place from all over the country make flower offerings
to the divinities of the temples at the Hot Springs. Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of the sun‟s journey
to the Northern Hemisphere (Makara raasi), which stands for the commencement of Uttarayana Punyakalam.
It is a day of celebration all over the country.
5. Nag Panchami Festival: Nag Panchami Festival is the festival of snakes. The festival falls during the rainy
months and is believed to contradict the augmented possibility of a snake bite during this time. The temples
dedicated to Lord Shiva are also preferential places for reverence as snakes are considered very close and dear
to Shiva.
6. Pitra Paksha Mela: Gaya is a holy place in the state of Bihar. People from all over the country gather in this
place for the famous Pitrapaksha Mela or the ancestor worship symbolized in the Shraddha ritual. It is the
time for the Gayalis who are the descendants of Magga Brahmins who were transformed to Vaishnavism, to
be prepared for the Vedic Shraddha ceremonies or the „Pinda Daan‟. This is an obligatory Hindu rite which is
supposed to bring salvation to the departed soul. he Pitrapaksha Mela in Gaya is held approximately in the
month of September.
7. Shrawan Mela: The Temple at Deoghar, also known as the Baidyanath Dham is the most important pilgrim
spot in Bihar. The temple is devoted to Lord Shiva and has one of the twelve Jyotiralingams which makes it
more important to the devotees. The pilgrims carry the Ganges water on their shoulders and come from
distant places on foot to pour the water on the Shiva Lingam. This Lingam is also known as Kamna Lingam –
the desire-fulfilling lingam. e fair continues for about 30 days and is considered the biggest and longest
continuing religious fair in the world.
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8. Vat Savitri Puja: This puja is performed to pay respect to Savitri's determination and devotion to bringing her
husband back to life. Married women throughout India take part in this puja to pray for their husband's long
life.
9. Chhath Puja Festival: Chhath Puja is an Indian thanksgiving festival devoted to the Sun God. Chhath Puja is
an elaborate festival noted for its remarkable display of colourful dresses, music, singing and extravagant
rituals. Chhath Puja is celebrated mainly in the northern regions of the state of Bihar in India. The festival of
Chhath Puja takes place during the months of October and November, immediately after the festival of
Diwali. The Chhath Puja lasts for one night and one day.
10. Hari Har Dham: Hari Har Dham is located at a place called Bagodar in Giridih. Giridih is a beautiful
township amid hills and knolls in Jharkhand and is located 60 kilometres northwest of Bokaro. The
sacredness of this place lies in the 62 feet high Shiva Lingam which is the tallest in the world. The place is
stretched over a sprawling area of 25 acres of land. During the Shrawan Purnima, every year people from all
over the country gather in this place to celebrate the occasion.
Handicrafts
1. Madhubani Paintings: Madhubani paintings as the name say get their name from the Mithila region of Bihar
where it is widely practised particularly by women. The history of Madhubani paintings goes back to the time
of Ramayana. Originally the painting was done on cloth, hand-made paper, and canvas. Madhubani painting
mostly depicts nature and Hindu religious figures and the themes are generally associated with Hindu
deities, Natural objects like the sun, moon, and religious plants like tulsi.
2. Rock Paintings: Rock paintings are a particular form of painting done on the walls and ceilings of the cave
shelter of ancient man. These paintings were reflections of their social, cultural, religious, and economic life.
His main object of drawings were objects of nature like the sun, moon, stars, animals, birds, plants, trees,
rivers etc. Besides he used to draw several activities of everyday life like hunting, running, dancing, and
walking. These paintings were engraved on the walls and ceilings of the rock shelters with the help of some
sharp objects like rock or metal pieces. Thereafter various indigenous colours like colours extracted from the
leaves of trees are applied to it.
3. Wooden Work: From time immemorial Bihar had a history of wooden craft which consist of the
manufacturing of wooden furniture and toys. Right from Mauryan history and most particularly from the
time of Ashok it has remained high on the scale in terms of artistic beauty, creativity, durability, and cheap
price. During Ashok‟s reign beautiful royal thrones, royal gates or doors and panels of temples were
manufactured by wood artists of Bihar. This ancient and rich tradition of woodwork has now converted into a
big industry because of its huge demand in Indian and international markets. Patna is a very famous centre
for wooden toy making.
4. Wood Carving: Wood carving as a form of art and craft was very famous during Mauryan times. During such
period wooden houses were made by carving out of wood. This ancient art has not only been preserved but
also has been converted into a means of livelihood by artists of Bihar which is one of the few places where
wood carving work is still practised. Bihar is one of the few places where the wood carving and inlay work is
done with wall plaques, table tops, pens and paper cutters being from wood and inlaid with diverse materials
ranging from metal, ivory, stag horn to chips of different wood. Presently Patna is well known for the
manufacturing of craved doors and windows.
5. Pottery Works: Pottery is made of clay. Bihar had a rich history of clay pottery work. Since the time of
Mauryan and Gupta, this art has been in practice in Bihar. The archaeological excavations at places like
Nalanda and Rajgir confirmed the existence of this artistic craft in Bihar. Beautiful earthen utensils and tiles
are made by potters from Bihar. They have the abilities and skill to do artistic and beautiful paintings on
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earthen pots. Patna is very famous for such work. Patna is also famous for making earthen statues
of various gods and goddesses.
6. Bamboo Works: Bamboo work has remained a culture of Bihar throughout the ages and times. Right from
pre-historic times, forest-dwelling tribes are experts in bamboo and cane work. They used to make many
utility items like baskets, household wares, woven mats, furniture and cane products like cane furniture and
other decorative objects. By utilizing their skill and techniques they turned this lifeless bamboo and cane into
a living object which is of great value in everyday life.
7. Sikki Works: Sikki is a grass or a weed that thrived on most of the river bank. Sikki‟s work is a craft whereby
the craftsmen turned this once unnecessary riverside weed into beautiful decorative objects. This craft is
particularly practised by women artisans in Bihar. Beautiful toys and wares are manufactured out of this
grass. After collecting and drying they stitch these grasses into various shapes like elephants, birds, snakes,
and tortoises. They then put various dazzling colours on these toys to make it more attractive.
8. Brass Works: The brass work of Bihar is a continuation of the brass craft dome in the pre-historic ages. But
this form of art was at its peak during Mauryan and again during Gupta and Pala periods. It has been
confirmed from many archaeological excavation sites like Nalanda and Rajgir. Even now artists of Bihar are
very skilful in making images of gods/goddesses, utensils, iron pitchers and other household utility
articles with great fineness.
9. Tikuli Works: Tikuli is a form of craft made from broken glass. The craftsmen first melt the broken glass and
then give it shape and design. Patna and Harihans cities are very famous for manufacturing this craft.
The chief markets of Tikuli are Banaras, Patna, and Calcutta.
10. Zari Works: Artistic embroidery and Zari works are very famous in Bihar and are also a livelihood business
for many families. Some of the finest Zari works can be found in shamiyanas, kanath, chandwas, pillow-
covers, batwas, covers for musical instruments, tablecloths, window curtains, blouse pieces, sari, borders, etc.
Patna is very famous for Zari and embroidery works.
11. Kasida Works: The Kasida embroidery work is a very ancient form of art. Kasida embroidery is done with
gold and silver metallic threads beads, silk, and sequins on satin or velvet having the motifs of birds, leaves
and many other. Kasida embroidery with geometrical patterns is very famous in Bihar. Patna is a known
centre of such type of Kasida embroidery.
12. Textile Printing: Textile printing is as ancient in Bihar as another form of art and crafts. Particularly Patna is
very famous for this art which is specialized for making chunris having motifs like parrots, peacocks,
elephants, mangoes, conches, fish, and various deities.
13. Jewellery: Silver and gold jewellery making is really associated with the history of Bihar which was the
cornerstone of Indian history particularly during ancient times. Therefore, silver and gold Jewellery works are
very special in Bihar. Goldsmiths of Bihar are very famous for making beautiful and artistic ornaments of
gold and silver. Particularly the craving or Kundan work on silver Jewellery is highly
praiseworthy because it requires a high degree of skill and concentration.
14. Patna Kalam: Many Indian schools of painting flourished afterwards and they were heavily influenced by
Mughal paintings. One among these was the Patna School of Painting or Patna Kalam or Company painting.
As we go back to history Patna Kalam was an offshoot of Mughal painting that flourished during the early
18th to the mid-20th century in Bihar. Although they followed the basic features of Mughal painting their
subject matter was different. Unlike Mughal paintings whose subjects were mainly royalty and court scenes,
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painters of Patna Kalam were deeply influenced by the daily life of common people. Their main subjects were
bazaar scenes, local rulers, local festivals, and ceremonies.
15. Lacquer Works: Bihar has a rich past of highly artistic and beautiful lacquerware craft. Bihar‟s lacquerware
artisans are very famous for decorating various items beautifully with lacquerware work like legs of beds,
boxes, bangles, and stools. Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Madhubani are famous for their lacquer work,
especially to produce lac-bangles.
Tribes
 After the segregation of Jharkhand state, most of the tribes moved to Jharkhand. Some of the tribes residing in
Bihar are Bathudi, Binjhia, Birhor, Khond, Kisan, Pahari Korwa, Sauria Paharia, Chik Baraik, Gorait, Birjia,
Parhaiya and Savar.
1. Bathudi Tribe: Bathudi Tribe is among the most important tribes left in Bihar. They are the most colourful
and artistic of all tribes in the state. Their homes which are ordinary mud thatched houses are made
extraordinary with some exquisite multi-coloured flowery designs. Most of the women have floral tattoos on
their forehead or arms which is a ritual of the tribe. The Bathudi people call this tattooing „Khada‟.
2. Binjhia Tribe: The Binjhia tribe is known for their rich culture and heritage. This tribe mostly resides near
forests and hilly areas. Binjhia tribe is the most advanced of all.
3. Birjia Tribe: Birjia is one of the largest tribes in Bihar today. Earlier they were mainly residents of hilly areas
but because of difficulties in agriculture, they moved down to the plains. Most of the Birjia people are farmers
and only a few of them indulged in occupations like gathering, hunting, fishing, basketry and working as
daily labours.
4. Chik Baraik Tribe: Chik Baraik tribe is mainly found in

the rural parts of Bihar. Chik Baraik is famous as a tribe of
artists. They are involved in making cotton threads and
cotton clothes. They also work as weavers, bird trappers,
farmers, and daily labours.
5. Kisan Tribe: They are classed as Scheduled Tribe. In

Bihar, they are called Nageshwar and Nagesia and they
speak Sadri and use Devanagari for writing.
6. Korwa Tribe: Korwa Tribe is one of the scheduled tribes

of Bihar. They live in the hills, valleys, and forests of Bihar
and in some parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
They are primarily farmers and gatherers.
7. Sauria Paharia Tribe: Sauria Paharia tribe is listed as Scheduled Tribe

by the Government of West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand. They are found mostly in Santhal Parganas. The
Saurians are divided into three distinct cultural groups, namely the Probia, the Bare and the Chete.
Famous Personalities
1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad: Born & brought up in Zeradai, in the Siwan district of Bihar, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was a
lawyer and the first President of the Republic of India. He served in various educational institutions as a
teacher, and was a major leader from the region of Bihar in the Indian National Congress. He was awarded
the Bharat Ratna in 1962.
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2. Jagjivan Ram: He was a pioneer of the Dalit community and a founder member of the All-India Depressed
Class League. He was the youngest minister in the provisional government of Jawaharlal Nehru and became
India‟s youngest cabinet as Labor Minister. Jagjiban Ram was already a member of the Constituent Assembly,
ensuring that social justice was enshrined in the Constitution. During the Indo-Pak war of 1971, he was
Minister of Defense.
3. Ustad Bismillah Khan: Born in Dumraon, Bihar; Ustad Bismillah Khan later moved to Varanasi and grew up
there. Known as one of the best musicians in the world, he was credited with popularising the shehnai &
bringing it onto the mainstream classical stage. He received the Bharat Ratna in the year 2001. As a tribute to
Ustad Bismillah Khan, Bihar Government has proposed the setting up a museum, a town hall-cum-library
and the installation of a life-size statue at his birthplace in Dumraon.
4. Subrata Roy: Born in Araria in Bihar, Subrata Roy is the founder and Chairman of the Sahara India Group.
He was named among the 10 Most Powerful People of India in 2012 by India Today. He received the Business
Icon of the Year award in London in 2011 and Businessmen of the Year Award in 2002. However, Roy was
under judicial custody from March 2014 to May 2016 for failing to appear before the Supreme Court in
connection with the Rs. 24,000 crore deposits his company owed to investors.
5. Jayaprakash Narayan: Born in the Sitabdiara village of Saran District (Now Called Chapra) in Bihar,
Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly referred to as JP or Lok Nayak, was an Indian independence activist, social
reformer, and political leader. He is remembered especially for leading the mid-1970s opposition against
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He called for a “total revolution” to force her to withdraw as PM, which led to
the declaration of Emergency. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1999, The Patna airport is
named after him. Interestingly, his death was announced in Parliament before his actual death.
6. Nitish Kumar: Born in Bakhtiarpur, Bihar, Nitish Kumar is a B.Tech Graduate from NIT, Patna & is the Chief
Minister of Bihar since February 2015. He is a member of the Janata Dal (United) party. Kumar gained
popularity by initiating various developmental and constructive activities in Bihar which were long delayed
& never implemented by previous governments. He was ranked 77th in the prestigious Foreign Policy
Magazine‟s top 100 global thinkers 2012 & Forbes “India‟s Person of the Year”. In 2010 he was recognized as
“The Best Chief Minister” according to CNN-IBN and in the Hindustan Times State of the Nation Poll in
2007.
7. Kirti Azad: Born in Purnea, Bihar, Kirti Azad is a former Indian cricketer & is the son of the former Chief
Minister of Bihar, Bhagwat Jha Azad. He played in 7 Tests and 25 ODIs from 1980 to 1986 and was part of the
Indian team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup. He served his third term in the Lok Sabha till 2019, having
won the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections from Darbhanga.
8. Ramdhari Singh Dinkar: Born in Simaria village in Begusarai, Ramdhari Singh “Dinkar” was an Indian
Hindi poet and academic, considered to be one of the most significant Hindi poets of modern times. He was
hailed as a Rasthrakavi for the nationalistic poems that he wrote before independence. He was elected thrice
to the Rajya Sabha and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1959. He also received a Sahitya Akademi award
the same year.
9. Ravish Kumar: Born in Areraj in the East Champaran district, Ravish Kumar is an Indian journalist and
media personality. He is the senior executive director of NDTV and is known for his veracity and uncensored
criticism. Kumar became the fifth Indian journalist to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award in 2019 and has
twice received the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award.
10. Anand Kumar: Born in Patna, Anand Kumar is an Indian educator who founded the Super 30 programme
which coaches children from underprivileged backgrounds for JEE-Advanced, an extremely competitive
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entrance examination that can secure one‟s admission into the premier engineering colleges in India. By 2018,
422 out of 510 of his students had made it to IITs. In 2019, Hrithik Roshan appeared in Super 30, a film based
on Kumar‟s life.
GEOGRAPHY
 Bihar is in the eastern region of India, between latitudes 24°20'10" N and 27°31'15"N and longitudes 83°19'50"E
and 88°17'40"E. It is an entirely landlocked state. It is the twelfth-largest by territory, with an area of 94,163 sq.
km. It is a land-locked state having boundaries with three Indian states namely Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and
West Bengal. Bihar shares its border with Nepal in the north, Uttar Pradesh in the west, Jharkhand in the
south, and West Bengal in the south.
Climate
 Bihar lies between humid West Bengal (in the East) and sub-humid Uttar Pradesh (in the West). Hence, the
climate of Bihar shows a transition from humid to the sub-humid or dry climate. Basically, the Eastern part of
Bihar is humid in nature and the Western part of Bihar is sub-humid or dry in nature. Bihar lies in the Sub
Tropical region of the Temperate zone, according to standard classification its climatic type is Humid Sub
Tropical.
Political Geography
 Bihar, a state in India, currently has 38 administrative districts.
Topographical Divisions
Topographically, Bihar state can be divided into the following Physiographical regions.
1. The Shivalik Range Region: Shivalik Hills are off-shoots of the Himalayan system and this sub-Himalayan
foothills region lies in the northern part of Bihar. There are some small hills like the Someshwar hills and the
Dun hills, in the extreme north of West Champaran. South of it lies the Tarai region, a belt of marshy and
sparsely populated regions.
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2. The Bihar Plain: Bihar's Plain is located between the Southern Plateau and Northern Mountains which is
bounded by contour lines in the North as well as in the South. The Ganga is the most dominant river of Bihar
state and is joined by the rivers: Ghaghra, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla-Balan, Kosi and
Mahananda flowing southward from Himathe layas in the northern part of the Gangetic Plain. The vast
stretch of fertile Bihar Plain is divided by the Ganges River into two unequal parts - the North Bihar and the
South Bihar.
3. Northern Bihar Plain: It is in East Champaran & West Champaran (Terai area with higher elevation), and
plains of Samastipur, Begusarai, Saharsa and Kathihar. The region is drained by Saryu, Gandak, Burhi
Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla-Balan, Kosi and Mahanadi and their tributaries.
4. Southern Bihar Plain: It is narrow than northern plain of Bihar and triangular because many hills are in this
region such as hills of Gaya, Rajgir, Giriak, Bihar Sharif, Sheikhpura, Jamalpur and Kharagpur hills.
5. The Southern Plateau Region: The region is in the southern flanks of Bihar between the Southern Plain and
Chhota Nagpur Plateau of Jharkhand. It lies between Kaimur in the West to Banka in the East and It is made
up of hard rocks like gneiss, schist and granite. This region is blessed with many conical hills which are made
up of batholiths like Pretshil, Ramshila and Jethian hill.
Soil Types
 Bihar is situated on the World's most fertile alluvial plain Gangetic Valley which extends from the foothills of
the Himalayas in the north to a few miles south of the river Ganges as it flows through the State from the west
to the east. Variations in relief, precipitation, vegetation, and parents‟ rocks have resulted in various soil
varieties due to the region‟s relief features.
Soils of Northern Plain

 The soil of this region is formed due to the deposition of
sediments brought by the Gandak, Burhi Gandak,
Mahananda, Kosi and Saryu rivers. Hence, the soil is
further divided into three types:
1. Piedmont Swamp Soil: It is swallowing too deep over bed

rocks and pebbles. It is mostly clayey, rich in organic
matter and neutral reaction. This type of soil is found in
the North-Western Champaran district.
2. Terai Soil: It is grey to yellow in colour and neutral to
moderately acidic in reaction. The soil of Terai is more
fertile than upland terai. This is the type of soil is found in
the northern part of Bihar nearby the border of Nepal and
the foothills of the Himalayas.
3. Gangetic Alluvium Soil: This soil is generally fertile in
Bihar plain but regular tillage without application of manure has costs
low organic content. It is mostly loamy with varying thicknesses. It is thinner towards the south and thicker
towards the north.
Soils of Southern Plain

 This type of soil is found between the North Ganga plain and the Southern plateau and it formed due to the
alluvium deposited by Sone, Punpun, and Falgu Rivers.
1. Karail-Kewal Soil: It is heavy clay soil (alkaline feature) which is characterised by wet paddy lands or
dhandhar. It is found in Rohtas to Gaya, Aurangabad, Jahanabad, Munger and Bhagalpur. It is best suited
for rice and rabi crops like wheat, linseed, pulses, and gram.
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2. Tal Soil: It is found in the backwater belt of Ganga which is spread from Buxar to Banka district. The
colour of the soil varies from light grey to dark grey and in texture from medium to heavy soil. Rabi or
spring crops like wheat, khesari, gram, peas, masoor, and lentils are harvested after the water dries up
and their yield is quite high.
3. Balthar Soil: It is less fertile and has less water absorption capacity. Maize, jowar, bajra, and gram are
chief crops. It is found in Kaimur plateau to Rajmahal hills in the narrow belt.
Soils of Southern Plateau

 There are two types of soil found in the southern plateau of Bihar.
1. Red and Yellow Soil: These soils are formed from the disintegration of igneous and metamorphosed
rocks. They are less fertile and thus suitable for coarse crops and pulses. It is found in Banka, Gaya,
Aurangabad, Jamui and Munger.
2. Red Sandy Soil: This soil has a higher percentage of sand which makes it less fertile and suitable for bajra
and jowar crops.
Types of Forest
Forests in Bihar are classified into two types:
1. Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest (Himalayan Foothills and Terai Forest): This type of forest is generally
found along the India-Nepal Border mainly in the Himalayan Foothill region in the North-Western region of
West Champaran District. A very less wide 910 Km belt, out of which 846 Km is protected. This type of Forest
is also found in very large parts of the Vindhyan Extension of Bihar in Kaimur and Rohtas districts. In these
regions, the Annual average rainfall is more than 140 cm. Which makes the climate Moist, which in turn helps
in the development of Tropical Moist Deciduous trees in these forests. This type of forest contains trees like
Sal (Shorea Robusta), Sisam, Toon, Gambhar, Kadamb, Khair, Neem and Semal. Besides these long grasses
like Sawai are also found in moister and swampier regions of the state.
2. Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest: This type of forest is found along West Bengal and Jharkhand Border. In
these regions, the annual average rainfall is around 120 cm or lower which makes the climate here dry, and
hence the vegetation here becomes Tropical Dry Deciduous. In this type of forest Amaltas, Sisam, Aawnoos,
Mahua, Gambhar, Kadamb, Khair, Neem, Palas, Asan, Amla, Saal Bamboo etc. are found in abundance.
Besides these Babool is also found in drier regions. In the plains, the plantation of Mango, Bananas and Litchi
is very famous, which contributes to the greenness of the state.
Protected Areas
There is only one national park in Bihar called as Valmiki National Park.
National Park Biosphere Reserves
Valmiki National Park Kabar
Barilla
Kusheshwar Asthan
Major Rivers
1. The Ganga: The Ganga River flows in the middle of Bihar and serves as the sink for all rivers of both parts of
Bihar. It originates from Gangotri glacier in Uttarkashi district in Uttarakhand at about 5611 metres above sea
level. Then it enters Bihar at Chausa (Buxar district). Ganga in Bihar runs for 445 Km, out of 2525 Km (the
third longest part of the Ganga after Uttar Pradesh and West bengal). It ultimately draws out 90% of the river
water of Bihar into the Bay of Bengal. In Bihar, this river causes floods nearby it is banking on both sides due
to the overloading of water brought by rivers from both parts of Bihar. In every part of Bihar, Ganga is
navigable, hence it can be utilised as a cheap transportation network in Bihar.
2. Ghaghara: Ghaghara originates from Nampa region of Nepal. It passes through Uttar Pradesh and enters
Bihar Siwan and passes through Saran and finally submerges into the Ganga nearby Chhapra (Bihar). This
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river is also known as Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh). This river causes floods in Uttar Pradesh, but in Bihar, it does
not cause floods.
3. Gandak: This is one of the very important rivers in Bihar. It originates from the central Himalayan region in
Nepal, where it is also known as Narayani. It enters Bihar at the Valmiki Nagar and passes through West &
East Champaran, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, Saran and Vaishali and finally submerges into the Ganga at
Pahleja Ghat (near Patna). Earlier it was a reason for flooding in Bihar, but after the construction of
Bhaisalotan Project (in which the Triveni Canal was constructed) in the Valmiki Nagar region, this river
turned into an important source of irrigation and does not cause flooding in Bihar.
4. Kosi: The Kosi River originates from the Tibet region in form of multiple channels. And flow through the
Mahabharat ranges of the Himalayas in Nepal. At Triveni in Nepal, its three major tributaries converge to
form one river the Kosi. The three major tributaries are Tamur, Arun and Sun Kosi rivers. Besides these,
tributaries of Sun Koshi River i.e., Dudh Kosi, Likhukhola, Tama Kosi, Bhote Kosi and Indravati are also
contribute to the Kosi river system. After passing the Chatra gorge water of the Kosi is controlled by Kosi
Barrage, from where it enters Bihar. In Bihar, it flows in Multiple channels through Supaul, Saharsa,
Madhepura and submerges into Ganga in Khagaria dn Purnea in form of multiple distributaries. During its
course in Bihar, Kosi receives many tributaries like Kamala, Bagmati and Burhi Gandak. Kosi in Bihar causes
floods almost every year despite the formation of Rajpur on Kosi River it causes floods in Bihar almost every
year. That is why Kosi is often referred to as the "Sorrow of Bihar". Kosi is the longest North-bank tributary
(120 Km) of the Ganga River in Bihar. Kosi is important for irrigation in Supaul, Saharsa, Madhepura,
Khagaria etc., as well as floods caused by Kosi, spread more fertile newer alluvium in the plains of North
Bihar, which enhances the fertility of the soil.
5. Mahananda: The Mahananda river originates from the Mahabharat ranges in Nepal and enters Bihar in
Kishanganj and passes through Purnea and finally converges into the Ganga River in the North-Western
region of Katihar district. This is an important source of irrigation in its basin region in Kishanganj, Purnea
and Katihar districts. In its river basin Jute, rice, wheat etc. are cultivated at a very large scale.
6. Son: Son is the most important river in South Bihar. It originates from Amarkantaka Hills in Madhya Pradesh
and passes through Jharkhand and enters Bihar between Rohtas and Aurangabad districts and finally
converges into the Ganga near Danapur (Patna). It is the longest South Bank tributary (760 km) of the Ganga.
Between 1869-74, the British government constructed the son canal system on the Son river. Since then, it
serves as one of the prime sources of irrigation in Kaimur, Rohtas, Buxar, Bhojpur, Aurangabad, Arwal and
Patna districts in South Bihar.
7. Punpun: Punpun is the second most important river in South Bihar. It originates from Chhotanagpur Plateau
region of Palamu district in Jharkhand and enters Bihar in Aurangabad and glows through Arwal and Patna
and finally converges into the Ganga at Fatwah (Patna).
8. Phalgu: It originates from the Chhotanagpur Plateau region in Jharkhand in form of Lilanjan (also called
Niranjana) and enters Bihar in Gaya and at Bodhgaya, it's tributary Mohana converges into it and Known as
Phalgu and acquires very wide coarse of more than 820 metres and then passes through Jehanabad, and
Nalanda and finally converges into the Ganga in Tal region (Patna). It has very important religious
significance for both Hindus and Buddhists. Two important religious tourist spots i.e., Mahabodhi Temple
and Vishnupad Mandir are located near the bank of Phalgu river. Besides these Phalgu finds a special
mention as Niranjana River in many sacred epics of Hinduism.
9. Karmanasa: The Karmanasa river originates from the Kaimur Range (an extension of Vindhyachal range)
near Sarodag in the Kaimur district (Bihar). In its course, it passes through the Varanasi and Ghazipur
districts of Uttar Pradesh and again enters Bihar at Chausa Buxar and submerged here into the Ganga River.
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Karmanasa forms the boundary between Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for a very long distance. Karmanasa is
considered an unholy river according to Hindu mythology and believed that bathing in the river will destroy
all religious merits of a person.
10. Kiul: The Kiul river originates from Tisri Hill range in Giridih district of Jharkhand. After that it enters Bihar
through a gorge in Satpahari hill in Jamui district, then it passes through Lakhisarai and at Rahuaghat,
Harohar river (a continuation of Sakari River, coming from Nawada via Sheikhpura) converges into it and
finally submerges into Ganga near Surajgarh (Lakhisarai). Kiul-Harohar river System forms the famous Tal
region in Bihar along the Southern bank of the Ganga River.
11. Ajay: The Ajay River originates from the Chakai block of Jamui (Bihar) and flows through Jharkhand and
West Bengal and finally converges into the Bhagirathi River near Katwa Town (West Bengal).
 Demographic Profile: As per details from Census 2011, Bihar has a population of 10.41 Crores, an increase
from the figure of 8.30 Crores in the 2001 census. The total population of Bihar as per the 2011 census is
104,099,452 of which males and females are 54,278,157 and 49,821,295 respectively. The total population
growth in this decade was 25.42 per cent while in the previous decade it was 28.43 per cent. The population of
Bihar forms 8.60 per cent of India in 2011. In 2001, the figure was 8.07 per cent.
 Literacy Rate: The literacy rate in Bihar has seen an upward trend and is 61.80 per cent as per the 2011
population census. Of that, male literacy stands at 71.20 per cent while female literacy is at 51.50 per cent. In
2001, the literacy rate in Bihar stood at 47.00 per cent of which males and females were 59.68 per cent and
33.12 per cent literate respectively.
 Sex Ratio: The sex Ratio in Bihar is 918 i.e. for every 1000 males, which is below the national average of 940 as
per the census 2011. In 2001, the sex ratio of females was 919 per 1000 males in Bihar.
ECONOMY
Bihar Fact File
GSDP India Bihar

1 GSDP as a percentage of all states‟ GSDP (2023-24) 100 8.9
2 GSDP growth rate (2023-24) 6.3 10.9
3 Per Capita GSDP (in USD) 1,099 660
Social Indicators
1 Literacy 77.7 70.9
2 Birth Rate 20 26.2
Industrial Infrastructure
1 PPP Projects under construction 466 11
2 PPP projects operational and maintenance stage 901 10
Physical Infrastructure
1 Installed Power Capacity 4,21,902 MW 7, 323 MW
2 National Highway Length (Kms) 1,44,634 km 5,969.40 kilometres (55)
4 Airports (National and international) 487 9
Investments
1 Cumulative FDI equity inflow (million USD) 634,441 214.50
 The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Bihar for 2023-24 (at current prices) is projected to be Rs 8.59
lakh crore, amounting to growth of 8.9% over 2022-23 (Rs 7.89 lakh crore).
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 In 2023-24, Bihar‟s GSDP at current prices is projected to be Rs. 8.59 trillion (US$ 104.62 billion). The state‟s
GSDP expanded at a CAGR (in Rs.) of 11.03% between 2015-16 and 2023-24.
 Bihar has witnessed strong growth in per capita net state domestic product. At current prices, per capita
NSDP of the state grew at a CAGR of 8.45% (in Rs.) between 2015-16 and 2021-22.
 In 2021-22, the total production of horticulture crops in the state was expected to be 22,872.91 thousand metric
tonnes, and area under production was 1,294.67 thousand hectares. In 2021-22, the total production of
vegetables and fruits in the
state was estimated at
17,767.84 thousand metric
tonnes and 4,986.74 thousand
metric tonnes, respectively.
 In March 2021, the state
government announced that
they will provide an electricity
connection to every
agricultural land at a lower
rate in the state by the end of
March 2022.
 According to the Department
for Promotion of Industry and
Internal Trade (DPIIT),
cumulative FDI inflows in
Bihar were valued at US$ 168.08 million between October 2019-June 2022.
 With 64.31 million mobile subscribers as of March 2022, Bihar accounted for the sixth-largest mobile
subscriber base among all Indian states.
 Total merchandise exports from the state stood at US$ 2,308.60 million in 2021-22, and US$ 1,258.97 in 2022-23
(till August 2022).
 During sugar season 2019-20, 11 sugar mills were operating in the state of Bihar. During 2019-20, 220.50 lakh
MT sugar is estimated to have been produced in Bihar. In FY22, Bihar exported US$ 6.35 million worth of
sugar.
 In 2021, foreign tourist arrivals stood at 1,046, and domestic tourists stood at 2.5 million.
Budget Highlights
 The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of
Bihar for 2023-24 (at current prices) is projected
to be Rs 8.59 lakh crore, amounting to growth of
8.9% over 2022-23 (Rs 7.89 lakh crore).
 Expenditure (excluding debt repayment) in
2023-24 is estimated to be Rs 2,38,327 crore, a
decrease of 12% from the revised estimate of
2022-23. In addition, debt of Rs 23,559 crore will
be repaid by the state. In 2022-23, expenditure
(excluding debt repayment) is estimated to be
21% higher than the budget estimate.
 Receipts (excluding borrowings) for 2023-24 are
estimated to be Rs 2,12,759 crore, an increase of
6% over the revised estimate of 2022-23. In 2022-
23, receipts (excluding borrowings) are estimated to be 2% higher than the budget estimate.
 Revenue surplus in 2023-24 is estimated to be Rs 4,479 crore (0.5% of GSDP). In 2022-23, the state is expected
to observe a revenue deficit of Rs 28,349 crore as per the revised estimates (3.6% of GSDP). The state had
estimated a revenue surplus of Rs 4,748 crore in 2022-23 at the budget stage (0.6% of GSDP).
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 Fiscal deficit in 2023-24 is targeted at 3% of GSDP (Rs 25,568 crore). In 2022-23, as per the revised estimates,
fiscal deficit is expected to be 8.8 % of GSDP, significantly higher the budget estimate of 3.5% of GSDP. Given
that the permitted fiscal deficit limit for 2022-23 is 4% of GSDP, the revised estimates are unlikely to hold.
Bihar’s Economy
 GSDP: In 2021-22, Bihar‟s GSDP (at constant prices) is estimated to grow at 11%, over a low base of the
previous year. In 2020-21, Bihar‟s GSDP had contracted by 3.2%.
 In comparison, national GDP is estimated to grow at a slower rate, by 9.1% in 2021-22, after a contraction of
5.8% in 2020-21 (as per the first revised estimate and the second revised estimate released on February 28,
2023, respectively).
 Sectors: In 2021-22, agriculture, manufacturing, and services sectors are estimated to contribute 26%, 15%,
and 59% of Bihar‟s economy, respectively (at current prices).
 Unemployment: As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (July 2021-June 2022), unemployment rate in Bihar
was 6%, higher than the unemployment rate at the national level (4.1%). For the 15-29 years age group,
unemployment rate in Bihar was 20.1%, higher than the national level (12.4%).
Budget Estimates for 2023-24

 Expenditure (excluding debt repayment) in 2023-24 is targeted at Rs 2,38,327 crore, a decrease of 12% from the
revised estimate of 2022-23. This expenditure is proposed to be met through receipts (excluding
borrowings) of Rs 2,12,759 crore and net borrowing of Rs 25,768 crore. Total receipts in 2023-24 (other than
borrowings) are expected to register an increase of 6% over the revised estimate of 2022-23.
 In 2023-24, the state has estimated a revenue surplus of Rs 4,479 crore, which is 0.5% of GSDP. In comparison,
in 2022-23, the state is expected to observe a revenue deficit of Rs 28,349 crore (3.6% of GSDP).
 Fiscal deficit in 2023-24 is estimated to be 3% of GSDP, which is within the limit of 3.5% of GSDP permitted by
the central government as per the Union Budget 2023-24 (of which, 0.5% of GSDP will be made available upon
undertaking power sector reforms).
 In 2022-23, as per the revised estimates, expenditure (excluding debt repayment) is expected to be 21% higher
than the budget estimate. In comparison, receipts (excluding borrowings) are expected to be only 2% higher
than the budget estimate.
 Consequently, the state‟s revenue deficit and fiscal deficit are expected to be significantly higher than
respective budget estimates. Fiscal deficit in 2022-23 is expected to be 8.8% of GSDP as per the revised
estimates.
 Given that the permitted fiscal deficit limit for 2022-23 is 4% of GSDP, these revised estimates are unlikely to
hold. Hence, actual expenditure in 2022-23 might be significantly lower than the revised estimate.
Credibility of Revised Estimates

 The purpose of revised estimates presented in the budget documents is to provide a more realistic picture of
the ongoing financial year, based on actual data for 9-10 months. However, in Bihar, expenditure estimates at
the revised stage are often unrealistic, leading to fiscal deficit estimates being way above the permitted limit.
 In 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23, as per revised estimates, fiscal deficit as % of GSDP was expected to be 6.8%,
11.3%, and 8.8%, respectively.
 In 2020-21 and 2021-22, fiscal deficit as % of GSDP as per actuals was 4.8% and 3.8%, respectively.
Expenditure estimates at the revised stage for 2021-22 was 18% higher than the budget estimate, however, the
actual expenditure in 2021-22 is 12% lower than budgeted.
Expenditure in 2023-24
 Revenue expenditure for 2023-24 is proposed to be Rs 2,07,848 crore, a decrease of 9% from the revised
estimate of 2022-23. This includes the expenditure on salaries, pensions, interest, grants, and subsidies. In
2022-23, revenue expenditure is estimated to be 19% higher than the budget estimate.
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 Capital outlay for 2023-24 is proposed to be Rs 29,257 crore, a decrease of 26% from the revised estimate of
2022-23. Capital outlay indicates the expenditure towards creation of assets. In 2022-23, as per revised
estimates, capital outlay is expected to be 33% higher than the budget estimate.
Receipts in 2023-24
 Total revenue receipts for 2023-24 are estimated to be Rs 2,12,327 crore, an increase of 6% over the revised
estimate of 2022-23. Of this, Rs 56,212 crore (26%) will be raised by the state through its own resources, and
Rs 1,56,115 crore (74%) will come from the centre. Resources from the centre will be in the form of state‟s
share in central taxes (49% of revenue receipts) and grants (25% of revenue receipts).
 State’s own tax revenue: Bihar‟s total own tax revenue is estimated to be Rs 49,700 crore in 2023-24, an
increase of 20% over the revised estimates of 2022-23. Own tax revenue as a percentage of GSDP is estimated
at 5.8% in 2023-24. For 2022-23, the state had estimated this ratio at 5.6% at the budget stage, however, as per
revised estimates, it is expected to be lower (5.2%).
 Transfers from Centre: In 2023-24, state‟s share in central taxes is estimated at Rs 1,02,737 crore, an increase
of 8% over the revised estimate of 2022-23. Receipts in the form of grants from centre is estimated at Rs 53,378
crore for 2023-24, a decrease of 8% over the previous year. One of the key reasons for a lower grant is
discontinuation of GST compensation grants since June 2022.
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Impact of Prohibition on Government Finances

 Bihar imposed prohibition on alcohol in 2016. Alcohol was the primary source of state excise duty. Between
2012-13 and 2015-16, revenue from state excise duty had ranged between 0.8%-1% of GSDP. In 2015-16, the
state government earned Rs 3,142 crore from state excise duty, which came down to Rs 30 crore in 2016-17,
and has become negligible since then. In comparison, in 2022-23, states on average budgeted revenue of
about 1% of GSDP from state excise duty.
Fiscal deficit:
 It is the excess of total expenditure over total
receipts. This gap is filled by borrowings by the
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government and leads to an increase in total
liabilities. In 2023-24, the fiscal deficit is
estimated to be 3% of GSDP. It is within the
limit of 3.5% of GSDP permitted by the central
government for 2023-24 as per the Union Budget
(of which, 0.5% of GSDP will be made available
upon undertaking power sector reforms).
 As per the revised estimates, in 2022-23, the
fiscal deficit of the state is expected to be 8.8% of
GSDP, significantly higher than the budget
25 | Page
estimate of 3.5% of GSDP. It is also significantly higher than the 4% limit permitted by the central
government for 2022-23 (of which, 0.5% of GSDP becomes available upon undertaking power sector reforms).
Hence, it is most likely to be an overestimate.
 In 2021-22 too, at the revised stage, the state estimated a fiscal deficit of 11.3% of GSDP with expenditure
(excluding debt repayment) estimated to be 18% higher than the budget estimate. However, as per the actuals
presented in the 2023-24 Budget, the fiscal deficit in 2021-22 was 3.8% of GSDP (well within the limit of 4.5%
of GSDP permitted by the central government).
Comparison of states’ expenditure on key sectors

 The graphs below compare Bihar‟s expenditure in 2023-24 on six key sectors as a proportion of its total
expenditure on all sectors. The average for a sector indicates the average expenditure in that sector by 31
states (including Bihar) as per their budget estimates of 2022-23.
 Education: Bihar has allocated 17.9% of its expenditure towards education in 2023-24. This is higher than the
average allocation for education by states in 2022-23 (14.8%).
 Health: Bihar has allocated 7% of its total expenditure towards health, which is higher than the average
allocation for health by states (6.3%).
 Agriculture: Bihar has allocated 3.3% of its expenditure towards agriculture. This is significantly lower than
the average allocation towards agriculture by states (5.8%).
 Rural Development: Bihar has allocated 10.7% of its budget towards rural development in 2023-24. This is
significantly higher than the average allocation by states (5.7%).
 Police: Bihar has allocated 4.9% of its total expenditure towards police, which is higher than the average
expenditure on police by states (4.3%).
 Roads and bridges: Bihar has allocated 4% of its total expenditure towards roads and bridges, which is lower
than the average allocation by states (4.5%).
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Government Initiatives For Economic Development In Bihar

 Industrial and Investment Policies: The Bihar government has announced several policies and schemes to
attract investment and promote industrial growth in the state, such as the Bihar Industrial Investment
Promotion Policy (BIIPP) and the Bihar Start-Up Policy.
 Infrastructure Development: The government has initiated several infrastructure projects such as road and
bridge construction, electrification, and improving irrigation facilities to improve connectivity and facilitate
economic growth.
 Skill Development and Education Initiatives: The government is focusing on improving the quality of
education and promoting skill development to create a skilled workforce to meet the demand of the industry.
 Public-Private Partnerships: The government is actively promoting public-private partnerships (PPP) to
encourage private investment in infrastructure development and service delivery.
State Symbols
State Animal Gaur
State Bird House Sparrow
State Flower Kachnar
State Tree Sacred Fig
State Festival Chhath Puja
State Dish Litti Chokha
State Fish Walking Cat Fish
State Fruit Mango
GI Tags
Madhubani paintings Handicraft Applique – Khatwa Patch Work of Sujini Embroidery Work of Bihar
Bihar Handicraft
Bhagalpur Silk Handicraft Sikki Grass Products Khatwa Patch Work Logo
Sikki Grass Products Logo Sujini Embroidery Logo Bhagalpuri Zardalu
Katarni Rice Magahi Paan Shahi Litchi
Silao Khaja
UNESCO World Heritage Sites

1. Nalanda University Ruins: Nalanda University is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bihar and was listed in
2002. It was a functional university ever since 3rd C BCE (in fact it still is after its resurrection)! The remains of
the historical and archaeological complex of the university from 3rd Century BCE to 13th Century CE when it
was abandoned, are protected by UNESCO. That includes stupas, shrines, viharas as well as many artworks
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incl. frescoes & sculptures etc. It was a monastery cum university set up during the reign of Magadhas to
teach Buddhism in the local language of Pali. It became a full-fledged university under the Guptas. Buddha
himself attained his enlightenment very close to this site (at Bodh Gaya mentioned below). It was a functional
university for more than a millennium but was then destroyed when Khalji waged a war. Much later in 2014,
it was resurrected and today Nalanda University is functioning again in a modern campus just beside the
ancient Nalanda University ruins.
2. Mahabodhi Complex at Bodhgaya: As mentioned above, historically, Buddhism flourished in this region.
Buddha's life was entirely in this region. He was born in Lumbini (in Nepal), attained enlightenment in Bodh
Gaya, gave his first sermon in Saranath and died in Kushinagara (also in UP). These 4 places are the most
important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists. This spot where he attained enlightenment was celebrated by all the
kings who followed Buddhism then on, beginning with the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, who built the first
temple here in 3rd Century CE. The current structure belongs to 6th-7th Century CE. This is one of the earliest
brick architectures in India that is still surviving.
State Government Schemes

1. Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan: Under the „Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan‟, rooftop solar power plants have been
installed in 1890 government schools of Bihar. Roof-top solar power plants will be installed on the roof of
basic schools and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Residential Schools in the districts where Shiksha Bhawan has been
constructed.
2. Gangajal Supply Scheme: This scheme was launched with a unique vision of taking surplus water from river
Ganga to water-stressed cities in south Bihar and using it as drinking water under a far-reaching campaign
„Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali‟. Under this scheme, Gangajal will be supplied as pure drinking water to about 8031
houses in 19 wards of Rajgir city, about 75000 houses in 53 wards of Gaya city and about 6000 houses in 19
wards of Bodh Gaya city. Under the scheme, the target is to supply 135 litres of pure water per person per
day.
3. Student Credit Card Scheme: 87 new courses are being brought under the purview of the Student Credit
Card Scheme after the opinion taken from seven departments including Agriculture, Medical, Labour, Science
and Technology Department, and Higher Education of Bihar. Now loans will also be available for the study of
all these courses. A highlevel committee of the education department has prepared a formal proposal to
decide on the policy decisions of the scheme.
4. Laxmibai Social Security Scheme: Social Justice and Social Welfare Department in Bihar is implementing the
„Laxmibai Social Security Scheme‟ in an attempt to overcome the economic crisis of widows. The main
objective of „Lakshmibai Social Security Scheme‟ is to overcome the financial problem faced in running the
family after the death of the husband. Under this, widows provide financial assistance of Rs 300 per month to
women.
5. Mukhyamantri Harit Krishi Sanyantra Yojana (CM AGRI EQIPMENT SCHEME): The "Mukhyamantri
Harit Krishi Sanyantra Yojana" provides subsidies to primary vegetable cooperative societies (PACS) similar
to the existing scheme for PACS. Selected PACS receive financial assistance of Rs. 15 lakhs, with 50% as a loan
and 50% as a grant. The main objective of the scheme is to establish Agri-implements banks, which will offer
small and marginal farmers access to modern agricultural equipment. Currently, a total of 2443 PACS have
purchased approximately 10,488 different types of Agri-implements under this scheme.
6. National Water Awards 2022: Bihar's Water Conservation Schemes: Bihar ranked 3rd best state in water
conservation by the Union Jal Shakti ministry. Categorized as one of the "Best states" for water conservation
efforts. Recognized for utilizing technology in water conservation, including: a) Lifting Ganga floodwater
from Mokama and transporting it via a 151 km pipeline to provide safe drinking water to water-starved areas
28 | Page
like Gaya, Bodh Gaya, and Rajgir. b) Efficient use of floodwater, which was previously wasted annually.
Water Conservation Schemes in Bihar: 1. Goral Irrigation Scheme: District: Darbhanga 2. Balughat Barrage-
cum-Irrigation Scheme- District: Madhubani 3. Bihul Irrigation Scheme-District: Madhubani 4. Malai Barrage-
District: Rohtas (Kond River) Provides irrigation water to Buxar and Bhojpur. 5. Jaitpura Pump Canal
Scheme- District: Kaimur 6. Mohane River Scheme-District: Gaya 7. Uderasthan Barrage Scheme-District:
Nalanda (near Biharsharif)
7. Mukhyamantri Nari Shakti Yojna: Empowering Women

for Civil Services: 6 beneficiaries cracked the UPSC exam
in 2022. Scheme started in 2018-19, providing financial aid
to SC, ST, and OBC female aspirants for state and central
civil services exam preparation. In 2022, expanded to
include general category women under the Civil Sewa
Protsahan Yojna. Benefit: Women who clear UPSC or
BPSC preliminary exams receive Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000,
respectively, for coaching, special studies, and guidance
for the main examinations.
8. Post Matric Scholarship Scheme: Eligibility: Open to

backward and extremely backward families with an
annual income not exceeding Rs 3 lakh. Covered Streams:
Medical, Engineering, Management, Law, and more.
Benefit: Offers an annual scholarship ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 4
lakh. Priority: Given to students studying in government educational institutions over those in recognized
non-government educational institutions.
WELFARE SCHEMES IN BIHAR

Alpasankhyak Kalyan Chhatravas:
Brief Objective
 Govt. will provide an assistance of Rs. 1000 per month to all the boys and girls studying and living in the
hostels meant for minorities.
Benefits to the Citizens
 Children belonging to minorities and studying in Class IX to XII by staying in minority hostels will receive a
monthly stipend of Rs 1000. They are also provided with the facilities of cots, mattresses, sheets, table-chairs
for reading, cooking utensils and kitchens etc. Every month, nine kg rice and six kg wheat will also be made
available to the students.
Eligibility
1. Students belonging to Minorities and staying in minority welfare hostels of Bihar state.
2. Enrolled and living in hostels operated under Minority Welfare Department.
3. Studying in a recognized course.
4. Studying in recognized educational institutions
Arakshit Rozgar Mahila ka Adhikar

Brief Objective
 To assured the employment to women as their right.
 It is hoped that through this scheme, state cadres would be filled up to 33% by women candidates
Eligibility
 Women candidates as per the qualifications set by the government
29 | Page
Bihar Anganwadi Beneficiary Scheme

Brief Objective
 Through the Anganwadi Centers, the Child Development Service, Bihar, will transfer cash money to the bank
account of all the registered beneficiaries in exchange for food and ration
 Pregnant women and children of the state who are being helped by giving food, dry ration etc. through
Anganwadi center, now in view of the outbreak of Corona virus, under this scheme the state government will
give pregnant women and dry ration, in lieu of cooked food.
Eligibility
 Lactating woman
 Pregnant woman
Bihar Mukhyamantri Vridhajan Pension Yojana (MVPY)

Brief Objective
 The Bihar Mukhyamantri Vridhajan Pension Yojana (MVPY) scheme provides financial assistance to senior
citizens of the state. This funding is provided to make all senior citizens in the State independent in their old
age

 The scheme applies to all senior citizens - 60 years and above, wherein a sum of Rs. 400 and whose age is 80
years and above, a monthly pension of Rs. 500 is provided to the beneficiaries as pension. The scheme can be
availed by all senior citizens irrespective of their caste, income, community and religion.
Eligibility
 The applicant has to be a permanent resident of the State.
 The applicant should have completed 60 years of age.
 The applicant should not be retired government employee, in order to avail the benefits of the scheme.
 The applicant should belong to Below Poverty Line category.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Releases First Installment under 'Mukhyamantri Udyami
Yojana'
 Patna, November 16, 2023 - In a significant move aimed at fostering entrepreneurship in Bihar, Chief Minister
Nitish Kumar released the first installment of funds to beneficiaries under the 'Mukhyamantri Udyami
Yojana' during a program at Bapu Auditorium, Patna.
Key Points:
1. First Installment Disbursement: The beneficiaries trained for the year 2023-24 under the 'Mukhyamantri
Udyami Yojana' received a substantial boost with the release of the first installment. Each beneficiary was
granted a sum of four lakh rupees.
2. Objective of the Scheme: The 'Mukhyamantri Udyami Yojana' is an initiative by the Industries Department
of the Bihar Government, designed to promote the establishment of new enterprises within the state. The
scheme, officially named 'Mukhyamantri Udyami Anudan Yojana,' aims to empower individuals by
providing financial support for the initiation of their entrepreneurial ventures.
3. Financial Assistance: Under this scheme, the government offers loans of up to Rs 10 lakh to individuals
interested in starting an industry. Notably, a 50% subsidy accompanies these loans, providing a significant
financial incentive. Additionally, an amount of Rs 25 thousand is allocated for training purposes.
4. Repayment Terms: Beneficiaries are granted a seven-year window to repay the loan, allowing for a
manageable and structured approach to financial obligations.
5. Instalment Breakdown: The disbursement of funds occurs in three installments under the 'Mukhyamantri
Udyami Yojana.' The first installment, as witnessed in this recent event, amounts to Rs 4 lakh. Subsequent
installments include Rs 4 lakh in the second phase and Rs 2 lakh in the third phase.
30 | Page
CURRENT AFFAIRS
1. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC): CBDCs represent a digital version of traditional paper currency, in
contrast to cryptocurrencies that lack regulatory oversight, but they are legal tenders backed by a central
bank. They hold the same status as fiat currency and can be exchanged on a one-to-one basis with the
traditional national currency. Unlike fiat currency, which is not tied to the value of commodities like gold or
silver, CBDCs are regulated by the central bank. BIHAR: PATNA MUNICIPAL CORPORATION became
the 1st MC in country to adopt CBDC.
2. Best Legislator Award: Dr. Shakeel Ahmed Khan, a Congress MLA from Bihar, was awarded the Best
Legislator Award. The award was presented to him during the National Legislators Conference held in
Mumbai. He received the award in the category of "raising the most voice in the house for progressive
works." Dr. Shakeel Ahmed Khan represents the Kadwa assembly constituency of Katihar.
3. Anugrah Narayan Sinha: The 135th birth anniversary of Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha was celebrated on June
18, 2023. Dr. Sinha was born on June 18, 1887, in Poiawa, Aurangabad district. Dr. Sinha actively participated
in the Champaran satyagraha alongside Mahatma Gandhi. In December 1920, he attended the annual session
of the Congress held in Nagpur.
4. Cyber Police Stations: Bihar has established 44 new cyber police stations. Each district in the state, including
38 districts, 2 police districts, and 4 rail districts, has one cyber police station. Victims of cybercrime can
register their complaints in various ways, including in person, through email, or by sending their complaints
through postal service.
5. Top Airport under UDAN: Darbhanga Airport is recognized as one of the leading airports in the country
under the UDAN (UdeDesh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme. UDAN, launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on
October 21, 2016, aims to boost regional air connectivity and make air travel more accessible to the general
public.
6. Bihar sets up Commission for Most Backward Classes: The state government constituted the Most
Backward Classes Commission under the chairmanship of senior JD(U) leader Dr Navin Chandra Arya. This
commission will recommend reservations for the most backward in the civic elections as per the guidelines of
the Supreme Court.
7. Master Plan to Preserve Nalanda World Heritage: The Bihar government has started work to preserve the
Nalanda Mahavihara heritage. The process of preparing a master plan for this is in the final stage. Heavy
vehicles will no longer go towards this heritage. Parking lots have been set up around the lake near Nava
Nalanda Mahavihara for parking of these vehicles.
8. Doorstep Delivery of Maps: Minister of Revenue and Land Reforms Department of Bihar Alok Mehta
inaugurated the door step delivery of maps of the Directorate of Land Records and Survey at the Revenue
(Survey) Training Institute located in Shastrinagar.
9. The Country’s Biggest Rubber Dam: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated Bihar‟s first and
country‟s longest rubber dam „Gayaji Dam‟ built on falgu river in Gaya district. Built at a cost of Rs 312 crore,
the dam uses rubber instead of concrete. It is also environmentally friendly. It is three meters high and 411
meters long. It has six spans of 60-65 meters in length.
10. Automatic Radar Gun will be Installed on all NH of Bihar: To reduce the over speed on the National
Highway (NH) in Bihar, eight to 10 km on all NHs. An automatic radar gun will be installed on the road, so
that online fines can be imposed on every vehicle speeding above the stipulated speed limit.
11. Mission Parivartan: Enhancing Medical College Hospitals: Aim: To enhance the overall health services of all
medical college hospitals, focusing on cleanliness and efficient 'May I Help You' desks. Inspired by "Mission
60 Days," which aims to improve district hospitals' conditions.
12. Bihar's 4th Agricultural Road Map Approved: Estimated Cost: Rs 1.62 lakh crore for the next 5 years.
Effective From: April 1, 2023. Duration: Till 2028.
13. BeFIQR App: Real-time Flood and Irrigation Response: Launched by: Water Resources Department. Bihar e-
System for Flood and Irrigation Quick Response (BeFIQR). Objective: Mitigate the impact of floods and
31 | Page
droughts in Bihar. Function: Automated system providing real-time information on floods and irrigation to
aid quick responses.
14. National Research Centre for Makhana (NRCM) in Darbhanga: Previously known as the Research Centre of
Makhana (RCM). Regained national status under the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR).
Established in 2002 with a focus on Makhana conservation, research, and development. New mandate
expanded to include other aquatic crops and fish. Mithila region produces 90% of the global Makhana (fox
nut) yield, known for its high nutrition. In August 2022, Makhana received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Darbhanga received the PM's Award for Excellence in 2021 for implementing the One District One Product
(ODOP) scheme for Makhana. NRCM operates under the administrative control of ICAR. Also associated
with the Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET) in Ludhiana.
15. 3rd Estimate of Foodgrain Production 2022-23(Kharif): Wheat production: 63 lakh metric tons. Rice
production: 76 lakh metric tons. Total foodgrain production: 180 lakh metric tons.
16. Food Processing Units to be Set up in Every Panchayat of Bihar: Pankaj Dixit, Director of Bihar Industries
Department, announced the initiation of the plan to establish food processing industries in all 8,387
panchayats of the state. The initiative falls under the 'Pradhan Mantri Micro Food Industry Upgradation
Scheme,' with the District Industries Center being assigned the responsibility. The state government will
provide various assistance to entrepreneurs, including subsidies and loans etc. This move aims to promote -
agro-based products, employment opportunities and reducing migration. The program will invite
applications for loans under the PM-FME to help interested applicants start new industries by providing
financial assistance through banks. Eligible individuals can also avail credit-linked capital subsidy of 35% of
the project cost, up to Rs 10 lakh per unit, for upgrading existing units. The central government will offer
financial support to those interested in starting new ventures in the food industry through this scheme.
17. STPs and FSTPs to be Built in Bihar Cities along the Ganga: According to information received on May 21,
2023, Bihar plans to build Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) in 23 cities along the banks of the river Ganga
and 16 cities along its tributaries. Additionally, Fecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) will be established in
76 small towns to convert waste into manure. In addition to Ganga and its tributaries, STPs are also being
constructed in eight other important cities. Out of the many approved STP projects for clean rivers, only seven
have been completed so far, resulting in the lack of facilities to treat a significant portion of the cities' dirty
water. The initiative is part of Bihar's efforts to manage waste effectively, promote cleanliness, and protect
water bodies like the Ganga and its tributaries.
18. Cross-Border Rail Link Between India & Nepal to Commence Soon: The Railway Board's Executive Director
Traffic Transport, Pradeep Kumar Ojha, announced on 7th May 2023 that operations will begin soon on the
rail line constructed between Bathnaha and Jogbani Nepal Custom Yard, facilitating crossborder travel
between India and Nepal. The Railway Line from Jogbani (India) to Biratnagar (Nepal) is an 18.6 km broad
gauge railway line connecting Jogbani in Bihar to the industrial area of Biratnagar in Nepal at an estimated
cost of INR 374 Crore.
19. Arvind Panagariya Appointed as Chancellor of Nalanda University: On 29th April 2023, the Government of
India appointed renowned economist Arvind Panagariya as the Chancellor of Nalanda University, situated in
the Nalanda district of Bihar. Arvind Panagariya has previously served as the first Vice Chairman of NITI
Aayog. He is a distinguished economist and is currently a Professor of Economics at Columbia University.
Nalanda University is an internationally renowned institution of national importance, established by an Act
of the Indian Parliament. The modern Nalanda University operates under the aegis of the Ministry of External
Affairs.
20. Formation of Para Medical Council in Bihar: On June 1, 2023, the Health Department of Bihar decided to
establish a Para Medical Council in the state in response to demands from the health sector employees. This
council will be the first of its kind in Bihar and aims to address the issues related to health workers, including
registration and data management. The Council will consist of 10 members, including the chairman, to
oversee and manage the affairs of health workers in the state.
21. Muzaffarpur to Get State's Biggest Blood Bank: On June 7, 2023, it was announced that a new and largest
blood bank in Bihar will be established in Muzaffarpur district. The blood bank will be set up at Company
32 | Page
Bagh in Muzaffarpur district, Bihar. The cost of establishing this blood bank is estimated to be around three
crores.
22. Bihar's Smita Kumari Sets New World Record in Yoga: On June 21, 2023, Smita Kumari, a resident of
Basanpur village in Nalanda district, Bihar, created a new world record in yoga. She achieved this feat by
maintaining the Center Split Holding (Samkonasana) posture for an impressive duration of 3 hours, 10
minutes, and 12 seconds. Smita, aged 29, has been working as an in-house yoga instructor in the healthcare
department of the Adani Group for the past four years. Her remarkable achievement has gained recognition
and appreciation, and she was felicitated by the Chairman of Adani Group, Gautam Adani, in Gujarat.
23. Country’s Longest Extra Dose Cable Bridge Being Built in Bihar: The total length of under construction
Bridge: 22.76 km. The Main bridge is 9.76 km long, and the approach road on both sides is 13 km. Approach
road is being constructed from Kachhi Dargah to Patna-Bakhtiyarpur (NH-30) highway towards Patna. The
total cost: Rs 4988 crore. The bridge will connect Sabalpur on NH-30 at the Patna end and Chaksikander on
NH-103 at the Vaishali.
24. Bihar's Districts Excel in Jal Jeevan Survekshan 2023: On
4th April 2023, the Central Government's Department of
Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti,
released the nationwide ranking for January under Jal
Jeevan Survekshan 2023. Four districts from Bihar secured
top positions in the rankings. 1. Samastipur 2. Sheikhpura
3. Supaul 4. Banka. Work was joint cooperation of PHED
and the Panchayat Raj Department. Parameters:
availability of tap water in the homes of rural families, the
quantity of water available from the tap, the quality of
water, the continuity of water supply and the complaints
related to drinking water.
25. CM Inaugurates Ethanol Plant in Muzaffarpur: The quota
of ethanol in the state has been doubled from 18.5 crore
liters to 36 crore litres. Bihar Chief Minister on 6 April,
2023 inaugurated the state's second ethanol plant at Motipur in Muzaffarpur ,
capacity 110 klpd of ethanol from maize. Altogether 17 ethanol-producing units have been approved in Bihar
so far, including one in Purnia with a capacity of 65,000 litres per day inaugurated in May 2022. An ethanol
plant at Ara with a capacity of five lakh litres per day, is stated to be the second largest ethanol plant in Asia.
Bihar government had launched Ethanol Production Promotion Policy in March 2021, making it the first state
in the country to have its own ethanol promotion policy under National Policy of Biofuels, 2018. Works are
going on for commissioning of two plants each in Gopalganj and Nalanda districts and one plant at
Bhagalpur.
26. Bihar to Receive Around 9000 MW Electricity from Central Quota by 2024: Currently, Bihar is getting an
allocation of 6560 MW power from various units of NTPC. The state power companies have estimated an
additional power allocation of about 1998 MW from two units of NTPC Barh, one unit of North Karanpura in
Jharkhand, and two thermal power units of Buxar within the next one to one and a half years. Furthermore,
around 760 MW of electricity is expected to be available from renewable energy projects by the Solar Energy
Corporation of India and BREDA (Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency). The commissioning of the
2nd unit of Phase-1 of Barh TPP will provide an additional 405 MW from May 2023, and the 3rd unit is
expected to add 342 MW of power by April 2024.
27. GI tags: Bihar's popular sweets, including Khurma, Tilkut, and Balushahi, are set to receive the Geographical
Indication (GI) tag. The application accepted after preliminary examination, and the competent authority will
take further action in this regard. Khurma from Udwantnagar in Bhojpur, Tilkut from Gaya, and Balushahi
from Sitamarhi are among the sweets awaiting the GI tag.
33 | Page
Samadhan Yatra
 Concluded in Begusarai on February 16, 2023. • Started/initiated on January 4, 2023, commencing from
Valmiki Nagar, West Champaran.
 Purpose: to visit all 38 districts of Bihar and talk to people and know their opinion about government
schemes.CM Nitish Kumar started from Valmiki Nagar, West Champaran, Jan 5, 2023.
 14th Yatra named Samadhan Yatra. • Previous yatras: Nyay- 2005, Vikas (Jan 2009), Dhanyavad (June 2009),
Samaj Sudhar (2021).
Gross Domestic Climate Risk REPORT:

 9 Indian States feature on a “world-first” index that assesses the risk posed to build environment across the
world due to extreme weather events
 Published by Cross Dependency Initiative (XDI): Global Org.
 Indian States Rankings: 9 out of 50 regions in the world facing high climate risk to a fragile physical
infrastructure fall in India o Bihar: Ranked 22nd among the world's top 50 regions at risk of damage due to
climate change hazards.
 Uttar Pradesh: Ranked 25th
 Assam: Ranked 28th
Bihar Caste Survey

 According to the latest caste survey
conducted by the Bihar government, the
State has a diverse social composition
with more than 63% of its population
belonging to the Other Backward Classes
(OBCs) and Extremely Backward Classes
(EBCs).
Key Highlights of the Survey

 According to a caste survey report, Bihar
has a diverse population with different
social groups. The report said that the
Other Backward Class (OBC) group
makes up 27.12% of the population,
while the Extremely Backward Class
(EBC) group accounts for 36.01%. The report also said that the Scheduled Caste (SC) group constitutes 19.65%
of the population, while the Scheduled Tribe (ST) group represents 1.68%.
o The report further said that the General Caste group comprises 15.5224% of the population.
o The report also gave the religious breakdown of the population, stating that Hindus form 81.99% of the
population, while Muslims are 17.70%.
 The survey report, titled Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana (Bihar caste-based survey), also revealed that the total
population of the state is 13 crore.
Implication of the Caste survey data

Policy Formulation  Political parties are likely to incorporate the findings of the caste survey into
their policy formulations and election manifestos. Promises and policies may
be tailored to cater to the needs and demands of the predominant caste groups,
especially OBCs and EBCs who comprise a significant portion of the
population.
34 | Page
Alliance Dynamics  Understanding the exact caste composition enables political parties to form
strategic alliances. Parties might align themselves with caste-based parties or
groups, attempting to consolidate specific caste vote banks to maximize their
chances of winning seats.
Candidate Selection  The data might influence the selection of candidates for different
constituencies. Parties could choose candidates based on their caste
backgrounds to appeal to the majority population in those areas.
 Election campaigns might focus on specific issues and promises that resonate
with the identified caste groups. Parties could highlight how their policies will
benefit these groups, aiming to secure their votes.
Social Welfare Programs  The survey data can guide the implementation of social welfare programs.
Resources might be allocated based on the demographics, focusing on the
upliftment of economically backward sections among the identified castes.
Challenges and  The release of caste-based data can also lead to controversies and challenges.
Controversies Disputes might arise regarding the accuracy of the data or the methods used
for the survey, potentially leading to legal battles or social tensions.
Social Mobilization  Various caste groups might mobilize socially and politically based on this data.
This mobilization can lead to increased awareness, activism, and demands for
social, economic, and political rights.
National Political Impact  Bihar's caste dynamics can influence national politics, especially if certain
caste-based alliances or issues gain prominence. National parties might align
themselves with regional parties based on these caste equations.
Legal and Judicial Impact  The data might be used in legal and judicial matters related to reservations
and affirmative action, potentially leading to changes in existing policies or the
formulation of new ones.
Bihar Cabinet Approves Expansion of Reservation Quota to 75%

 In a recent cabinet meeting led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on November 7, 2023, a groundbreaking
decision was made to enhance the scope of reservation in the state. Here are the key points from the meeting:
1. Scope Increase to 75%:
o The cabinet approved a proposal to elevate the reservation quota in the state to 75%.
o The Bihar Reservation Bill 2023, following the cabinet's nod, will now progress through the legislative
channels for final approval.
2. Revision of Reservation Limits:
o The existing reservation limit of 50% has been augmented to 65%.
o Economically backward individuals will retain a 10% reservation.
o General category seats will increase from 40% to 25%.
3. Reserved Quotas for Different Categories:
o Extremely Backward Class (EBC): 25% reservation.
o Other Backward Classes (OBC): 18% reservation.
o Scheduled Castes (SC): A proposal to increase the reservation from 16% to 20%.
o Scheduled Tribes (ST): The reservation for ST has been raised from 1% to 2%.
4. Social Welfare Initiatives:
o The cabinet has given the green light to a free sustainable livelihood earning scheme, providing Rs 2 lakh
for self-employment to over 94 lakh impoverished individuals.
5. Enhanced Support for Landless Families:
o A significant boost has been sanctioned for landless families, increasing the assistance from Rs 60,000 to
Rs 1 lakh for purchasing land under the PM Awas (Rural) initiative.
35 | Page
Madhubani District Tops Labor Resources Department Ranking

 In a recent release by the Department of Labor Resources, Madhubani district emerges as the leader in
providing substantial benefits to its residents through departmental schemes. The rankings, unveiled on
November 15, 2023, shed light on the performance of various districts across the state.
Key District Rankings:
1. Madhubani: Secures the top spot in benefit delivery
2. Darbhanga: Claims second place in the ranking
3. Samastipur: Secures the third position
District Rankings in Sequential Order:

The following is the sequential ranking of districts, highlighting their performance in implementing labor-related
schemes:
1. Madhubani 5. Bhabua 9. Jamui
2. Darbhanga 6. Sheikhpura 10. Begusarai
3. Samastipur 7. Purnia
4. Sitamarhi 8. Saran
New Approach to Rankings:

 For the first time in October, the rankings have been made public, providing transparency into the
performance of districts. The Department of Labor Resources plans to continuously publish these rankings
and seek explanations from labor officers in districts with poor rankings.
Parameters for Ranking:
The districts were evaluated based on nine key parameters related to the department's schemes:
1. Online license and registration process (20 5. Activities related to child labor (10 marks)
marks) 6. Monitoring of the labor enforcement office (10
2. Activities related to building construction (15 points)
marks) 7. Tax collection (10 points)
3. Completion of online work for all laborers 8. Rehabilitation of released child laborers (5
related to building construction (15 marks) points)
4. Implementation of schemes for unorganized 9. Support for migrant workers (5 points)
sector workers (10 marks)
36 | Page

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CREATING CIVIL SERVANTS FOR THE NATION

UPSC CSE 2023

Bihar during Pala Empire:

Medieval History of Bihar:

List of Medieval Dynasties that ruled Bihar

MODERN HISTORY OF BIHAR

British East India Company and Bihar

1857 Revolt and Bihar

British Raj in Bihar

Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence Resolution)

Civil Disobedience Movement

Kisan Sabha and Bihar

Bihar Socialist Party

First Congress Cabinet in Bihar

Quit India Movement

Freedom Fighters of Bihar

Mauryan Pillars & Sculptures:

Mithila Paintings or Madhubani Art, Bihar

Mali Paintings, Bihar

Fairs and Festivals

4. Chik Baraik Tribe: Chik Baraik tribe is mainly found in

5. Kisan Tribe: They are classed as Scheduled Tribe. In

6. Korwa Tribe: Korwa Tribe is one of the scheduled tribes

7. Sauria Paharia Tribe: Sauria Paharia tribe is listed as Scheduled Tribe

Soils of Northern Plain

1. Piedmont Swamp Soil: It is swallowing too deep over bed

Soils of Southern Plain

Soils of Southern Plateau

GSDP India Bihar

Budget Estimates for 2023-24

Credibility of Revised Estimates

Impact of Prohibition on Government Finances

Comparison of states’ expenditure on key sectors

Government Initiatives For Economic Development In Bihar

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

State Government Schemes

7. Mukhyamantri Nari Shakti Yojna: Empowering Women

8. Post Matric Scholarship Scheme: Eligibility: Open to

WELFARE SCHEMES IN BIHAR

Arakshit Rozgar Mahila ka Adhikar

Bihar Anganwadi Beneficiary Scheme

Bihar Mukhyamantri Vridhajan Pension Yojana (MVPY)

Benefits to the Citizens

Gross Domestic Climate Risk REPORT:

Bihar Caste Survey

Key Highlights of the Survey

Implication of the Caste survey data

Bihar Cabinet Approves Expansion of Reservation Quota to 75%

Madhubani District Tops Labor Resources Department Ranking

District Rankings in Sequential Order:

New Approach to Rankings:

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