The New Bihar

Bihar was at the heart of the first two all-India empires in history, that of the Mauryas and the Guptas. Justly famous for its education, with universities at Vikramshila and Nalanda, it was also home to scholars like Kautilya, Aryabhata and Panini. However, the state went into a downward spiral after Independence, and by the 1980s it was at the bottom of the heap on all human development indices. After decades of stagnation and decline, the state, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, began to show remarkable progress. Notorious for crime and violence, it became relatively safe and secure. A state where development and growth were unheard of for decades began to show both in ample measure. In The New Bihar, N.K. Singh and Nicholas Stern have put together a collection of perceptive essays on the Bihar model of development – its achievements, shortcomings and the bumpy road ahead. Brimming with insights into issues bedevilling the various sectors of the state’s economy, The New Bihar is a compelling read for economists, politicians, policymakers, students of political economy and anyone interested in the prosperity of India.