Reflections after Results! Double-engine govt must double the speed to double the income of people in Bihar

Bihar has stepped into another five-year term under the double-engine NDA government, steered by the enduring leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose two decades at the helm mark a rare feat in Indian politics. The assembly elections wrapped up with a resounding landslide for the NDA, clinching over 202 seats in the 243-member house with the oath ceremony taking place tomorrow. As always, the poll season in the state brimmed with high drama—fierce face-offs between the BJP-led NDA, the RJD-anchored Mahagathbandhan, and Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj adding layers of unpredictability and political brouhaha. Campaign trails echoed with bold pledges on jobs and welfare, sharp exchanges over governance records, and a barrage of sops aimed at every voter segment. At the heart of this election campaign lay the burning issue of jobs and livelihoods. The NDA went all out with a bold pledge of over one crore employment opportunities across Bihar, while the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan promised a government job to at least one member of every family. Not to be left behind, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj threw its hat in the ring with a target of creating five million job avenues for the state’s youth.

Employment thus became the loudest drumbeat on the campaign trail, with every alliance trying to outdo the others on who could deliver more Rozgar to Bihar’s restless millions. Yet, amid the din of rallies and rhetoric, Bihar's electorate stood firm, embracing the spirit of dance of democracy and delivering a clear verdict that vividly ventilates their aspirations for steady progress and sustainable development with signifying the spirit of Bihari pride in the journey of Viksit Bharat. The verdict hammered home a key message: Bihar's voters are increasingly looking past rigid caste equations, prioritising a stable administration focused on growth minus the shadows of unrest that once defined the state's polls. This move was stark among first-time voters and the Gen Z crowd, who showed little patience for the usual barbs and bluster from rival camps. With an overall turnout touching 63.5 per cent—highest in a decade, as reported by the Election Commission—the long lines at booths signalled pro-incumbency waves, not waves of rejection, underscoring faith in the ruling combine's track record on law and order.

Behind each cross on the ballot for the NDA lies a bundle of expectations and trust in the double-engine Sarkar, where state and Centre pull in tandem for Bihar's uplift. As fingers dipped in indelible ink, memories of rally vows from heavyweights like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues flooded minds—assurances of expressways, medical colleges, and flood-resilient infrastructure that have already taken shape over the past term. The public has extended a hearty nod to Pm Modi's firm commitments on Bihar's revival, from the flood of central funds to the push for all round development. Post-results jubilation at BJP headquarters in the national capital peaked when PM Modi, twirling a Gamchha in a nod to Bihari flair, quipped, "Bihar Ke Logon Ne Garda Uda Diye"—a line that landed like a rallying cry, stirring a collective surge of optimism. It captured the pulse: folks here yearn to see their state climb from laggard to leader, and this mandate feels like a pact sealed with hope, promising the NDA's fresh innings will vault Bihar to fresh milestones every citizen craves.

To turn this goodwill into lasting gains, the incoming NDA dispensation must zero in on five pressing fronts, drawing from hard numbers that spotlight Bihar's strides and gaps.

• FIRST: Sustainable development demands ramping up green initiatives; the state's Economic Survey 2024-25 notes Bihar's renewable energy capacity hit 1,200 MW last fiscal, but experts urge tripling it by 2030 to curb flood vulnerabilities and power rural grids.
• SECOND: Employment generation tops the list—unemployment lingers at 7.2 per cent per NSSO's latest Periodic Labour Force Survey, yet schemes like the Bihar Business Connect portal have greenlit 1.2 lakh jobs since 2023; the government should scale industrial parks to absorb another 5-lakh youth annually.
• THIRD: Boosting per capita income, which trails the national average at Rs 54,000 against Rs 1.7 lakh, calls for agro-processing hubs—the survey flags a 15 per cent yearly rise in food exports, a base to build on for doubling farm incomes.
• FOURTH: Nurturing MSMEs and industry, Bihar's 3.8 lakh micro units contribute 25 per cent to GSDP, according to the Ministry of MSME, but easing credit access could spark 20 per cent more registrations, fuelling local manufacturing in textiles and leather.
• FIFTH: Overhauling education and health alongside tourism: Enrolment in government schools jumped 18 per cent post the 2023 reforms, while health outlays doubled to Rs 15,000 crore; pairing this with eco-tourism circuits around Bodh Gaya and Valmiki Tiger Reserve could draw 2 crore visitors yearly, as projected by the Union Tourism Ministry, blending heritage with revenue.

In wrapping up, the new NDA government's return to power stands as a robust endorsement of the double-engine machinery, where voters have placed their chips on a partnership proven to deliver without the old pitfalls of flip-flops or friction. Nitish Kumar's steady hand, fused with PM Modi's national heft, has earned this lease not just on nostalgia but on tangible shifts—from pockmarked roads to powered villages—that hint at more to come. Every vote cast this November wasn't a mere mark; it was a vote for holistic growth, aiming to yank Bihar clean out of the BIMARU tag that clung like a millstone for decades. With eyes on equitable jobs, robust services, and an economy firing on all cylinders, this term holds the promise of a Bihar that doesn't just catch up but charges ahead, rewarding the faith of its 7.5 crore souls with a future bright and boundless.