Bihar is an ancient state in eastern India full of customs and traditions that continue to be inherited to date. Bihars capital is Patna, which used to be Pataliputra that acted as the powerbase for the great empires of the Mauryas and the Guptas. This South Asian state has rich plains, which – receiving water from the Ganges River – has become the breadbasket of Bihar. Nevertheless, poverty, illiteracy, and social issues forced the state to overcome them in the last few decades.
However, Bihar people have endured these cultures for many years, and thus, it has a great cultural endowment. This is the world cradle of Buddhism and Jainism religion and has important religio-pilgrim centers such as Bodh Gaya or Nalanda. The state also has vibrant festival like chhath puja and Diwali festival etc. Currently Bihar is changing for the better with reforms as regard to education, healthcare facilities and other infrastructural developments. The citizens are highly spirited people who are willing and able to turn around the fortunes of their country.
Bihar is a state in the middle of the country and it is shame to say that Bihar is the most densely populated state in India. Being the third most populous state of India with human sex ratio of 919:1000, Bihar is the geographical depiction of the high population density where every square kilometer of its geographical area supports 1,106 people.
A Demographic Powerhouse
Bihar is the most densely populated state in India, due to factors such as; the Gangetic plains of Bihar have always been agriculturally productive. Fertile land and adequate availability of water in the region has been inviting people for ages and thereby, the population is gradually rising. Also, the state has had low literacy levels and poor access to family planning services to make the population growth faster.
Challenges and Opportunities
Since Bihar is the most densely populated state in India. The experience is distinctly different. There is a tremendous amount of pressure put on the state’s resources, facilities, and social security. Some of the major issues that are typical for the area include overcrowding, poverty, and unemployment the state government has to face. But at the same time Bihar has a large population base which is a gift called demographic dividend. This means that human capital can be harnessed and puts the state in a condition to steering the economic destiny of the country.
The Road Ahead
The main issues in Bihar are the issues of high density population; as a result sustainable development, education, and health are potential areas to work on. Spending on infrastructure development, developing industries, and the creation of employment chances are all areas that need to be achieved to foster the standards of living amongst its populace. On this basis, it can be suggested that the means of restoring population growth are the activities of family planning programs and awareness campaigns.
To sum it up, Bihar literate rate is again readiness, which is however a boon and curse due to high population density. Yet it is rich in opportunities and any nation could only wish to have such a matrix for its human resource development. If Bihar can tackle these problems, and enforce proper policies, it will capitalise on its Demographic dividend and become a developed state of the country.
