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the highest decline (-6.35) in the overall Deteriorating law stood at 10.53 as compared to 11.3 per
health score index in 2017-2018 as and order along with cent in 2017-2018. With GDP per capita
compared to 2015-2016. The state’s total at 43,822 (US$610) in 2018–2019, Bihar’s
fertility rate — the average number of miserable performance rank is 33 in terms of GDP per capita.
children born to a woman — increased Bihar saw a massive drop in unemploy-
from 3.2 in 2015-16 to 3.3 in 2017-18. on economic front make ment from 10.68 per cent (2016) to 2.48
The prevalence of low birth weight it explicitly discernible per cent (2017) and subsequently, it has
increased from 7.2 per cent in 2015-16 recorded a continuous rise since then to
to 9.2 per cent in 2017-18. Its sex ratio that development in 11.82 per cent in 2019.
at birth declined from 916 females per Bihar in recent years Even on the delivery of centrally-
1,000 males in 2015-16 to 908 in 2017-18, sponsored schemes, Bihar’s perfor-
and its tuberculosis treatment success has not resulted in mance in recent years has been depress-
rate was 71.9 per cent in 2017-18 — down the improvement in ing as compared to other states. Under
from 89.7 per cent in 2015-16. Besides, in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Bihar, there is not a single district or sub quality of life Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREA),
district hospital with a quality accredita- Bihar delivered only 108.4 million person
tion certificate in 2017-18, a decline of days out of a target of 140 million, com-
27.16 percentage points since 2015-16. interventions. pleted only a third of its target of rural
Even with regard to gender equity, Various research studies conducted roads, resulting in 2,095 habitations still
the progress in Bihar is not up-to-the in this regard have noted the lack of being unconnected, built just around
mark. Overall literacy in Bihar is more leadership skills of those delivering 388,000 rural houses out of a target of
male-centric. The Do Kadam Barabari the intervention and the gap between 1.17 million houses and completed skill-
Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) expected responsibilities and activities of ing of only 33,636 people out of 148,500
programme that was launched in 2012 government platforms and reality. persons it aimed to skill by March 2019.
with the avowed objective of envisag- Besides, the state completed only 33
ing gender equity and curbing violence Economic Dimensions per cent of projects under SAGY during
against women and girls has not yielded Bihar is the fifth poorest state in India. 2018-2019.
satisfactory outcomes despite many Bihar’s GDP growth rate in 2018-2019 Over the past five years, Nitish gov-

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