In Ancient and Classical India, the area that is now Bihar was considered the centre of political and cultural power and as a haven of learning.[17] From Magadha arose India's first empire, the Maurya empire, as well as one of the world's most widely adhered-to religions: Buddhism.[18] Magadha empires, notably under the Maurya and Gupta dynasties, unified large parts of South Asia under a central rule.[19] Another region of Bihar, Mithila, was an early centre of learning and the centre of the Videha kingdom.[20][21]
However, since the late 1970s, Bihar has lagged far behind other Indian states in terms of social and economic development.[22] Many economists and social scientists claim that this is a direct result of the policies of the central government, such as the freight equalisation policy,[23][24] its apathy towards Bihar,[25] lack of Bihari sub-nationalism,[26] and the Permanent Settlement of 1793 by the British East India Company.[24] The state government has, however, made significant strides in developing the state.[27] Improved governance has led to an economic revival in the state through increased investment in infrastructure,[28] better healthcare facilities, greater emphasis on education, and a reduction in crime and corruption.[29]
^"Sub-national HDI – Area Database". Global Data Lab. Institute for Management Research, Radboud University. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
^"Table 24: gross state domestic product"(PDF). National Statistical Office, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 December 2022 – via Reserve Bank of India.
^Guruswamy, Mohan; Kaul, Abhishek (15 December 2003). "The Economic Strangulation of Bihar"(PDF). New Delhi, India: Centre for Policy Alternatives. p. 2. Archived from the original(PDF) on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
^Bihar, Past & Present: souvenir, 13th Annual Congress of Epigraphica by P. N. Ojha, Kashi Prasad Jayaswal Research Institute
^Lopez, Donald (2014). "Magadha". The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism.
Bal Thackeray (5 March 2008). "Biharis an unwanted lot". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 10 March 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
Wajihuddin, Mohammed (10 August 2008). "'Bihari' has become an abuse". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2008.
^Das, Arvind N. (1992). The Republic of Bihar. New Delhi: Penguin Books. ISBN978-0-14-012351-7.
Guruswamy, Mohan; Mohanty, Jeevan Prakash (15 February 2004). "The De-urbanisation of Bihar"(PDF). New Delhi, India: Centre for Policy Alternatives. Archived from the original(PDF) on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2015.