Anti-Bihari Sentiment - Causes

Causes

Since the late 1980s and through to 2005, poor governance and annual flooding of Bihar by the Kosi River (Sorrow of Bihar) contributed to a crisis in the Bihar economy. The criminalisation of politics, and kidnappings of professional workers between 1990 and 2005 contributed to an economic collapse and led to the flight of capital, middle class professionals, and business leaders to other parts of India. This flight of business and capital increased unemployment and this led to the mass migration of Bihari farmers and unemployed youth to more developed states of India. The state has a per capita income of $536 a year against India's average of $1470 and 30.6% of the state's population lives below the poverty line against India's average of 22.15%. The level of urbanisation (10.5%) is below the national average (27.78%); and behind states like Maharastra (42.4%). Urban poverty in Bihar (32.91%) is above the national average of 23.62%. Also using per capita water supply as a surrogate variable, Bihar (61 litres per day) is below the national average (142 litres per day) and that of Maharastra(175 litres per day according to 2006 data) in civic amenities.