Nitish's second-term...

The progress of Bihar, a front-runner in many reforms in INDIA, started degrading just after few years after Independence. But, due to anti-congress rhetoric in 1989 and in the name of social-justice Lalu Prasad Yadav emerged as the inheritor of the throne of Bihar which marks the down-fall of development of the region. But then in 2005 Bihar saw a period of change. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s regime came to an end and a new age started… Again, another product of anti-congress sentiment and Lalu Yadav’s prior confidante Nitish Kumar came into power. Nitish Kumar no-doubt brought many fundamental changes in his first tenure. Bihar was brought on track of law and order, and, it made a leap in terms of development. But things changed in his second term and the environment deteriorated. People attribute this to the arrogance after a clear majority. Bihar has changed in terms of corruption during Nitish Kumar’s second tenure. Today ministers along with beaureaucracy are demanding money, actually bribe… Bihar even misuses funds given by the center under various welfare schemes to improve the quality of life of poor-people. Irregularities and corruption in schemes like MGREGS and Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) are the examples bad politics. Moreover, corruption in Police and Higher Education for posts and promotion are examples of corrupt practices prevalent in Bihar… 

  Many of the ministers in the Nitish government have massive properties. The liabilities of these ministers, politicians and beaureaucrats can give a tough competition to big corporates. They have invested in malls, real-estate, hospitals… actually, black money…Moreover there have been charges of politicians manipulating the media. Media is accused of hiding the facts from the public. Even on the internet you will not find many news on “corruption in Bihar”. Censorship of media in Bihar is not new. When Markandey Katju, president of Indian Press Council, mentioned this at the seminar at Patna-University the situation became chaotic. But, when the state-government said it is baseless the opposition raised its voice against the media-censorship by the Bihar-government. A three member committee was appointed by Justice Katju under Rajiv Nag to probe into the matter and the committee said that journalists work under pressure from the management to not to write against the government because it can stop the advertisements. Moreover, the committee also said that journalists writing against the government face even transfers and suspension in many cases.

Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) according to Comptroller and Auditor General was plagued by corruption. The scheme was intended to provide homes to the poorest of the poor. Accoding to CAG report rs 325.35 crores of IAY were deposited in general bank accounts and not in separate bank accounts of IAY. List of shelter-less family was not prepared as per required guidelines resulting in allotment of Rs 10.36 lakh to the owners of pucca-houses overlooking the waitlist. Adding that list of shelter-less was not prepared. .The assistance under the scheme was provided to more than one beneficiary against a single BPL (Below Poverty Line) number resulting in irregular benefit of Rs 17.80 lakh to 767 people. MGNREGS is also not without corruption. The registered labour figures are not as per the rules. Many times jobs card are given to more than one family-member. According to the country’s chief auditor that 40, 304 more families registered in 82 panchayats are counterfeit. As per CAG the state did not follow work-prioritization according to the norms. Only 50 percent of work stated under MGNREGS was completed. Bihar’s State education minister said that he is ashamed of the ongoing corrupt practices in higher education. He said it is really shame full that college and university teacher has to pay bribe for promotion and transfer along with other benefits. He said even students have to pay bribe for enrolment in Phd classes.

The politics in Bihar is said to have the same problems – corruption, horse-trading, poor-governance and crime- as in the national-politics. Few years ago, Bihar was in discussion for building road and bridges every-day but today that scene has changed. Now, people are talking about misuse of public funds in Indira Awas Yojana and other welfare schemes. They are talking about how millions of rupees are being fiddled. The death of nearly two dozen children after eating food under the mid-day meal scheme is a sign of corruption in the politics and political life… Bihar which was praised for high economic-growth, not too long back , but, is now facing problem of social-upliftment and development. Despite the higher growth rates achieved by Bihar in the past it remains one of the most backwards states. It has the highest number of poor. According to government figures, more than the one-third of Bihar’s population is below the poverty-line and almost 40 percent of the population remains illiterate…