ONCE UPON A TIME IN BIHAR …….NOW…..

The IMF very recently revised the outlook of the world economic growth along with the other countries that will cilluminate the growth of the world GDP. The fund raised its 2010 global output forecast to 4.6% from 4.2% in April's review of the global economy, but kept its 2011 view unchanged at 4.3%. Similarly for India the growth rate was pegged at 9.5% for the year 2010. The IMF hiked its growth projection from the earlier estimate of 8.8% it made in April. GDP growth forecasts for Asia have been revised upward for 2010, from about 7% in the April WEO (World Economic Outlook) to about 7.5%Even our finance minister have raised the growth rate of Indian GDP to 9%.If Indian economy goes according to the estimated figures one can then imagine the growth one will find on the business street of India.

We all know that world GDP will grow when India and other Asian countries (China, India, Indonesia)  will participate as the western world is struggling to keep its head up. Likewise did we ever went for a thought that from where the Indian economy will get its growth rate of 9.5% or 9% as addressed by the powerful finance heads. It means which states will bring the growth of 9.5% for India likewise the cilluminate growth of the world GDP.

Once up on a time Bihar used called as naam hi kaafi hai". Actually, the name itself is good enough to infuse good amount of terror and insecurity amongst the majority. Screwed up law and order, politically incorrect education system, a state more owned than run by shrewd politicians good enough to feed fodder amounting more than you can earn in your 7 lives, Bihar the name that makes every one count the nights and days of terror of living an normal life.

After SHRI LALOO PARSAD YADAV became the minister of railway Bihar still was under the threat of dacoit and air of other crimes. Each time he flagged off a new train in Bihar the brass of the Government Railway Police (GRP) anticipated more trouble. The anxiety kept of climbing higher and higher. The trains passing through Bihar have witnessed 963 incidents of dacoity and looting (439 dacoities and 524 lootings) in the last eight years. This boils down roughly to at least one train robbery every third day. Add to this 506 murders, over 6,000 burglaries, more than 850 cases of drugging and overall 20,000 cognizable offences committed on running trains during this period. The conclusion: more than seven crimes take place everyday on trains passing through Bihar.

One will be shocked to read all these statistics and imagining the quantum of terror one have witnessed particularly who lived in the state. All the above statistics make one thing clear about the healthy condition of the law and enforcement within the state circle. In fact Indian railways did not earn so much as compared to the dacoits who did the robbery and other practices on the trains passing in an around Bihar. This is the Bihar called out before 20 years back. This might be called as ONCE UPON A TIME IN BIHAR.

After the emergence of the Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and the New Bihar one will be compelled to say in real terms ONCE UPON A TIME IN BIHAR ……………. NOW……..

The recent developments in Chhattisgarh have changed the status and outlook of the globalised world as a new invented state. Today it is one the top ladder of investments and the growth imagined, not by the Indian corporate but by the global giants sitting across the world. In fact Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh and the New Bihar is witnessing the turn around of its fortunes once the legal system became under real control of peace. The recent data by CSO indicates that from 2004-05 to 2008-09, Bihar on an average grew by a staggering 11.03% annually, almost neck to neck with India's fastest growing state. States like Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh which were ranked once upon a time as poor have now being crowned with growth rate of 11%, 8.5% and 7.5% respectively. This is not the pride of a state it's the pride of Indian that once upon time these states were avoided form any important discussion tables are now on the top of the table. One might say the growth of these states is very low as compared to the other states of India's. I must argue that any thing which comes out from the dark is positive. If India need to achieve the growth rate of 9.5% then these states needs to come up with flying growth numbers to amplify the growth of India.

If we look at some of the investments and growth dreamt by the Indian and global corporate for these three states we will find some proud making stories and the invisible growth and foresight of ONCE UPON A TIME IN BIHAR.

Big names like Vedanta Resources, Tata Steel, Mesco Steel and Bhushan Steel are all set to invest more than Rs.40,000 crore in these three states. All these might sound as foreseeable future activities . But some statistic will make you see clearly the real growth.

As per a study by ASSOCHAM ECO PULSE on "States Performance in Per Capita Income Growth" – Jharkhand's per capita income grew to Rs.14,990 (16.6% growth), Orissa to Rs.14,795 (11.5% growth) and Chhattisgarh to Rs.16,365 (8.8% growth).these numbers reveals the financial discipline being applied and followed in these three states. Their is balance being played in all corners of these states which makes these states to generate growth and attracting investments. One example of financial discipline being followed is that foreign travel has been banned to avoid unnecessary expenditures.

The Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has recently said, Love for Hindi does not necessarily mean to oppose English. English cannot be ignored. However, English could not be made compulsory language in schools, but all facilities should be made available to students to learn and read English. After almost four decades, Bihar has woken up to English education in the state, making English a compulsory subject in Board Examinations from the commencement of the academic session 2010. The Government of Bihar has taken the initiative to hone the spoken English skills of the government high school teachers  and thereby their students in the state to keep pace with the time.  This will change the upcoming new generation of Bihar. After a decade Bihar will be having equal quality students with skilled force to tackle the corporate jungles of India and global too.

Adequate steps have been implemented to stop reckless expenditure in administrative departments in these states. Expenditures are planned in such a way that where only guarantee growth of these State's GDP and improvement in productivity is achieved.

So now it can be said that I am proud to be from the state of Bihar and being a Bihari  I feel more pride. In fact in the coming days I might get more things to fill up the gap of ONCE UPON A TIME IN BIHAR………NOW………