Bihar’s socio-economic data, recently released in the state assembly, revealed that approximately 34.13% of the state’s 2.76 crore families are economically poor, earning less than Rs 6,000 per month. In response to these findings, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a range of welfare measures. He called for an increase in reservations for OBCs, SCs, and STs to 65%, exceeding the Supreme Court’s 50% cap. Scheduled Castes would have a 20% reservation, OBCs and EBCs combined would get 43%, and STs would receive 2%. Additionally, Nitish Kumar pledged a one-time financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the 94 lakh families with monthly earnings below Rs 6,000. Those without homes would receive an additional Rs 40,000.
The data highlighted that the highest proportion of poor families was among the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). For SCs, comprising 19.65% of Bihar’s population, 42.93% were classified as poor. The economically vulnerable families also included Other Backward Classes (OBCs) at 33.16% and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) at 33.58%. Among upper caste families, 25.09% were found to be poor.
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Critics argue that the data contradicts Nitish Kumar’s claims of development during his 15-year tenure. Economists pointed out that over 63% of families in Bihar earn less than Rs 10,000 per month, reflecting a significant level of poverty. Bihar’s poverty rate, as reported in the 2021 NITI Aayog Multidimensional Poverty Index, is the highest among all states. While the NITI Aayog considers multiple indicators, the caste census data is primarily based on monthly income. The socio-economic data further reinforces the demand for a nationwide caste census to guide welfare benefits more effectively.
