Bihar, the erstwhile Magadha empire and birth place to Buddhism has seen its charm fade in modern Indian history. That is however, not to discount the great work that has been going on by earnest and dedicated officials who strive to provide good governance through welfare schemes and policies. In accounting that, Bihar ranked 12th in SKOCH State of Governance Report for 2024. These rankings reflect the state’s growing emphasis on structural reforms, infrastructure expansion and policy efficiency.
The state has made significant strides in governance, economic development and fiscal management as indicative with 18 well-performing projects which include high impact initiatives in Warehousing, Infrastructure, e-Governance and District Governance.
In governance, Bihar has performed well across multiple sectors, regaining 4th position in Education and Tourism while standing at 5th place in Power & Energy sector. It goes on to show the focus put in improving the core sectors of the economy to bring a constructive change.
Bihar’s improvements in district governance, warehousing, horticulture and e-Governance are commendable, reflective in the rankings it received despite being first time entrants Governance Report. Additionally, the projects in these new entries left such indelible mark with their work that they received top placement in the rankings which is indicative of the positive move forward in the state of Bihar.
The highly impactful work that various projects have undertaken in the many avenues of good governance can be seen with obvious rise in the values accorded to these projects. It can also be supported by the Fiscal Health Index which ranks Bihar at 13th place while excelling in Quality of Expenditure with 2nd position overall. This shows the state’s resilience and dedication towards a better future for the people of Bihar.
State's Performance in Different Sectors in Three Years
| Sector | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehousing | 1 | ||
| Infrastructure | 2 | ||
| Environment | 2 | ||
| Agriculture | 3 | 1 | |
| e-Governance | 3 | ||
| Education | 4 | ||
| Tourism | 4 | 3 | |
| Power & Energy | 5 | ||
| Horticulture | 5 | ||
| Rural Development | 6 | 2 | |
| District Administration | 7 | 7 | 18 |
Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)
The District Administration of Saran implemented the Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) from September 2018 to improve healthcare access.
The project aimed to raise awareness, complete e-KYC for card generation and educate beneficiaries on utilising Ayushman cards for cashless treatment.
Despite challenges in reaching remote areas and mobilising beneficiaries, the initiative covered 43.5% of the target population and educated low-income families about their healthcare rights. Key outcomes included reduced healthcare costs and improved access to secondary and tertiary care. Future plans include reaching remaining beneficiaries and expanding coverage.
The Bakhtiyarpur I&D and STP project
The Bakhtiyarpur I&D and STP project, led by BUIDCO under the Namami Gange initiative, aims to intercept and treat sewage before it enters the Ganga. The 10 MLD sewage treatment plant benefits 50,000 residents by preventing waterborne diseases and promoting water reuse.
Despite challenges like land acquisition delays, COVID-19 disruptions and skilled labor shortages, the project has made significant progress with trial runs scheduled for 2024. The project’s outcomes include cleaner river water, improved public health and long-term sustainability. Future expansion plans aim to cover 28 Urban Local Bodies along the Ganga.
The Bihar Aadhaar Authentication Framework (BAAF)
The Bihar Aadhaar Authentication Framework (BAAF), initiated by the Department of Information Technology, aims to eliminate fraud, streamline service delivery and ensure accurate beneficiary identification.
By using Aadhaar-based biometric, demographic and OTP verification, the project has successfully completed over 46 crore authentications and processed 58.44 crore transactions across 14 state departments.
Despite challenges like Internet connectivity issues, biometric failures for elderly users and administrative bottlenecks, BAAF has significantly improved efficiency and reduced fraud. The project’s scalable and replicable model offers potential for implementation in other states and government schemes. launched on 6 August 2018.
Conservation Initiatives by Communities in VTR, Bihar
The Conservation Initiatives by Communities in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) project, launched on 1 April 2008, aimed at enhancing biodiversity through community involvement.
The initiative successfully increased the tiger population from 8 to 54 and saw significant growth in the bison population. Habitat restoration included large-scale removal of invasive species and local communities were engaged in wildlife protection roles. Challenges included initial resistance from locals, invasive species control and cross-border collaboration. The project has been appcreciated widely.
ICT Labs Setup in Government Schools
The ICT Labs Setup in Government Schools project, launched on 25 July 2023, aimed to modernise education in Bihar’s schools. Over 150,000 students benefited from the installation of ICT labs in 2,092 schools, with the project designed to scale to 10,000 schools.
Key outcomes include improved teaching through dedicated instructors and enhanced security via proactive night guards. Challenges included slow vendor progress, security concerns and coordination issues with 20 vendors. Solutions like empanelment of additional vendors and local empowerment through DEO involvement helped address delays. The model is scalable, with plans to expand to 4,707 schools.
Makhana Vikas Yojana
The Makhana Vikas Yojana, launched on 1 April 2019, aims to boost Bihar’s makhana production by improving quality, yield and market access. Key outcomes include a 171% increase in cultivation area, 10,000+ farmers trained and the establishment of storage infrastructure to prevent distress sales.
However, challenges such as resistance to field-based cultivation, limited mechanised solutions and irrigation needs persist. The initiative has also increased market visibility and promoted GI-tagged Mithila Makhana. Future plans include expanding interventions to new districts and replicating the model for other crops.
Agri-Innovations for Farmers Livelihood Upliftment (AIFLU)
Bihar Agricultural University’s Agri-Innovations for Farmers Livelihood Upliftment (AIFLU) project, launched in September 2017, focuses on developing high-yield, pest-resistant crops, eco-friendly biofertilisers and advanced pest management techniques for maize.
Key achievements include improved crop productivity, a 10-20% increase in yields and a significant reduction in pesticide use through integrated Fall Armyworm management. The project also minimised post-harvest losses using STR dryers. Future plans include expanding digital initiatives and developing new biofertilisers.
Implementation of SAMAST in Bihar
The Bihar State Power Transmission Company Limited (BSPTCL) launched the SAMAST (Scheduling, Accounting, Metering and Settlement of Transactions in Electricity) project on 6 June 2019, to modernise electricity transmission and streamline energy accounting. The project aimed to enhance operational efficiency, transparency and regulatory compliance by automating scheduling, metering and settlement of electricity transactions. Developed in alignment with the Electricity Act, 2003 and the Forum of Regulators’ recommendations, SAMAST ensures a more structured and accountable power sector in Bihar.
During implementation, the project faced key challenges, including complex energy transactions, infrastructure limitations and manual inefficiencies. The transition to automation required overcoming technical and regulatory hurdles, while integrating remote substations into a centralised system proved challenging.
Implementation of e-Bhandaran
The Bihar State Warehousing Corporation (BSWC) launched the e-Bhandaran Warehouse Management Software (WMS) on 11 February 2021, to digitise and streamline warehouse operations across Bihar and Jharkhand. The project aimed to eliminate data redundancy, enhance transparency, minimise human intervention and establish a paperless system for efficient warehouse management.
During implementation, several challenges emerged, including data inconsistency across warehouses, reliance on manual record-keeping, limited digital infrastructure and a lack of technical expertise among staff. Integrating remote warehouses with the centralised system proved complex, requiring extensive training and process restructuring. By 29 January 2024, the project had delivered significant outcomes. It eliminated duplicate data entries, reducing storage costs and improving accuracy. Transparency and accountability increased, fostering better stakeholder collaboration and customer trust.
