As Bihar successfully concluded the first phase of its election with a 67% voter turnout, the state now prepares for the second phase on November 16. Bihar today stands not only as a subject of local interest but as a point of national curiosity. Political parties have stepped forward with their so-called “magical manifestos,” filled with ambitious promises meant to outshine their rivals. Yet, one cannot help but ask: are these manifestos genuine blueprints for progress, or merely political spectacles designed to win public trust for another five years?
INDIA bloc leader Tejashwi Yadav’s recent pledge to provide one government job per household has drawn both attention and skepticism. It sounds appealing, yet oddly unrealistic. The promise paints an image of sudden prosperity of moving from a kutcha house to a palace overnight. But on the ground, reality tells a different story. The real question is not whether every household will get a government job, but whether Biharis will find stable employment with fair pay and dignity.
A Times of India report from February 15, 2020, based on a study by the International Institute for Population Sciences, revealed that more than half of Bihar’s households have at least one member who has migrated to more developed regions within or outside India. The study, conducted across 36 villages and 2,270 households, found that most migrants are unmarried men, with the highest rates recorded in Saran, Munger, Darbhanga, Kosi, Tirhut, and Purnia. Among various communities, OBCs, SCs, and STs constituted the majority of migrants. The primary reasons cited were to improve family income, strengthen family bonds, and elevate social status.
When basic necessities such as food, shelter, and employment remain unmet, one must question how a “government job promise” alone can bridge these deep-rooted gaps. Data on government employment reveal significant caste disparities: Kayasthas occupy about 6.68% of positions meaning six out of every ten government employees belong to this community while SCs hold 1.13%, STs 1.37%, and economically backward classes a mere 0.98%.
Faced with limited opportunities, thousands continue to migrate to metropolitan hubs like Delhi, Jharkhand, Haryana, and Maharashtra, leaving behind families in pursuit of livelihood. The manifesto of NDA leader Nitish Kumar follows a similar trajectory, promising jobs and employment opportunities for one crore youth. According to government data cited by The Times of India, Bihar’s overall unemployment rate fell from 8% in 2017–18 to 3% in 2023–24. Youth unemployment too declined from 31% in 2018–19 to 4.3% in 2022–23, before rising again to 16% in recent years.
These figures appear encouraging at first glance, but they mask an uncomfortable truth. While many may technically be “employed,” a vast majority work in the informal sector without stability, fair wages, or benefits. Instead of the anticipated growth in formal employment, Bihar has witnessed a surge in casual labour, daily-wage workers, domestic helpers, and contractual employees, whose livelihoods are often precarious. Imagine a graduate employed as a mechanic in a local garage; he is counted as “employed” in the statistics, conveniently inflating the government’s success narrative.
Politicians are acutely aware that job scarcity remains Bihar’s most pressing issue, and they weaponize it during every election cycle. Each manifesto rekindles public hope for better days, yet what follows is often another five years of unfulfilled promises and prolonged hardship. Beyond unemployment, Biharis continue to grapple with chronic challenges, irregular water and electricity supply, inadequate pension access, and poor banking facilities, issues that resurface only during election season.
The upcoming government thus stands at a crucial crossroads. Bihar possesses immense potential for transformation, but the question remains whether its leaders will translate words into action or let the manifesto become yet another chapter in the state’s long narrative of political deception.