In a stark revelation ahead of the Union Budget, the latest Economic Survey has branded Bihar as India’s poorest state. With per capita annual income scraping the bottom at under Rs 70,000, Bihar lags far behind the national average. This damning data from the 2025-26 survey, covering 34 states and union territories, has ignited a fierce political firestorm in the state.
The survey paints a grim picture: Bihar’s average yearly earnings per person are the lowest in the country. Despite boasting a growth rate that outpaces 22 other states at 13.07% for 2024-25 on current prices, the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GSDP) is pegged at just Rs 8 lakh crore—smaller than 12 other states. This paradox of high growth but abysmal base levels underscores decades of developmental neglect.
RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav didn’t hold back, slamming Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s 20-year rule. ‘Nitish has been in power for two decades, yet Bihar remains the nation’s poorest. He keeps blaming past governments, but what has he achieved?’ Yadav questioned, highlighting the failure to lift the state from its economic malaise.
On the defensive, JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar countered that Nitish rescued Bihar from being a ‘basket case.’ ‘Under Nitish, Bihar now leads in several sectors. We’ve pulled it out of the mines of despair,’ he asserted, pointing to improvements in growth metrics.
Yet, the numbers tell a sobering story. Bihar’s GSDP growth, while impressive nominally, has dipped compared to its own recent past. As opposition voices grow louder, the survey serves as a wake-up call: high growth rates alone won’t erase entrenched poverty without structural reforms. With the budget looming, all eyes are on whether Bihar’s pleas for special status will finally bear fruit.