Infrastructural Improvement in Bihar

by S M Khurshid Anwar

January 15, 2006

Happy Belated New Year 2006 to all of the PatnaDaily readers!

I have been thinking for months that I should write, especially after the inspired articles I have been privileged to read in these pages. Some of my family members have encouraged me to write my own piece, instead of simply commenting here. I did not want to write anything which would bring disputes and controversy, although those subjects should be discussed openly. After much deliberation, I decided on the subject of the infrastructure of Bihar.

Bihar needs to make all-around developments and improvements to elevate the circumstances of all Biharis. It is safe to assume that we all agree that we need reliable Communication, Electricity, Banks, Transportation, and especially Law and Order.

Communication: We are in the midst of a communication revolution. In Bihar, there is a core of telephone services, and while it is better than even 5 years ago, it is nowhere near as advanced as it could be. There is a basic network of both wired and wireless telephone services, but the problems seem to center around extent and reliability. The services are not universally available or affordable. Even today, the landline service is pathetic. The phones do not work because people steal the wires, and repair does not seem to be a priority for phone company employees. Cell phones are widely available, but good connections are not guaranteed, and we have flat rates everywhere. We live in an open-market society, and price competition would benefit everyone. We still do not have internet connections except in some selected cities. I would like to see high speed connections in every corner of Bihar, not only in bigger cities. With high-speed connections, we could utilize IP-based phone services, which would encourage providers to improve availability and features and offer more value for Biharis’ money.

Electricity: Electricity is in very bad shape. In many areas, we rarely see 24 hours of uninterrupted supply. The problems are similar to the ones with phone service. The physical capacities are not as accessible or as modern as they could be. Power plants are sometimes staffed by people who see no connection between having a job and actually doing some work. There seems to be no accountability or consequence for unreliability. We should have our own power generation unit. We could generate more than we need. I do not understand why we do not make Hydro-based electricity. We have a reliable water supply and using it in this manner would have many positive effects on the environment and the population. I do not believe that government should control generation, but instead focus on distribution and other management. The more governments control things, the worse situations seem to become.

Roads: We need good roads without speed breakers and no structures built on occupied land. Our national highway is in a pathetic condition. I am almost ashamed to call it our National Highway. Two trucks can not pass at the same time: if one is coming from one end, the other has to pull off to allow it to pass. Our roadways are littered with illegal structures. Locals and mafia characters feel it is their right to take land that belongs to all of us. The government ought to take strict action to free the space claimed by mere squatters, and the courts should not be allowed to prolong these cases.

Law and Order: Our police should be trained to effectively deal with both lawbreakers and the population at-large. There should be protocols to be followed and real responsibilities and consequences when these protocols and procedures are not followed. No matter how removed our people are from actual bad experiences with police, there is still a pervasive fear when it comes to dealing with the police on almost any level. Their duties are supposed to center around service to and protection of the public. How effective are they when the public is afraid of them?

It would be so much easier if we could simply point fingers and cause things to happen. Sadly, we can not do that. What we can do is stand together, be clear about the things that are important to the development of Bihar as a state, and the elevation of its populace, and we can accept responsibility for making things better. Taxpayers are equally responsible as Government. We see our rights clearly, but how many of us care about the real responsibilities we have to our communities and state?

We hear about power theft, with the help of corrupt officials. The roads are in bad shape. So much money is spent every year to build roads but after a month, they look like they have not been repaired for several years. Come and see the roads we have in the United States. I have watched how they build the roads here, and they do not seem to use materials or equipment that we do not have in India. Cars and trucks use the roads constantly, and short of catastrophes, roads are maintained and useable. We have 6 months of rains and 6 months of snow, but still the roads are always clean. Why such wretched conditions in our place? The reason seems clear that the majority of money goes to bribes and thievery.

A request for the bids goes out, and contractors make their proposals. Sounds easy enough, but the unspoken procedure includes handing over enough money to a person in power to make the process smooth. This kind of corruption exists in all places, but it is so much a part of the way things work in India, that it is barely hidden these days. It is almost expected, and even when it is exposed, hardly anyone is surprised. We have a notable and recent example of this in the “Cash for Questions” scandal. Even though a couple of MP’s were caught, I doubt that that is the extent of it. A recent survey claims that a mere 10% of the esteemed Members of Parliament are honest. Such things do not give the people any confidence in the notion that their government is looking out for the best interest of the people.

In my own neighbourhood, we have a man who built 2/3 of his house on Public land. When the people from the community protested, the man who built that house illegally called all of his relatives to support him in his encroachment. They came with bamboo and guns. The community backed down, as no one was willing to go to bloodshed over land. They left it in God’s hands. The courts would stall and drag it out for decades, even if it ever got that far. It seems that police need a private donation to file a report, and even after that, if the evidence to back you is not readily available, you could find yourself embroiled in false charges.

It is clear that the norms for our legal system are illegal and immoral. The system is overburdened with cases of no merit, while true cases are delayed wrongly. How many have heard of the case of Satyendra Dubey? In broad daylight, this engineer was assassinated! What was his offense? Exposing corruption. He was not protected as he should have been, by the very department he trusted. Yes, charges were brought, but chances are, the big fish are still swimming freely!

It is very important to note that, on one side we are inviting NRI to invest in our state, and on the other side, our politicians seem to be busy making a Bihar-based investment less attractive and cost-effective. Without some assurance that a private enterprise will remain largely autonomous, who will come with an open mind and a strong conviction that Bihar is an opportunity for them to grow? It seems to me that politicians are trying to impose their ideas about which people are fit and eligible for employment.

It is interesting to read the story of one NRI who invested a huge amount of money in Punjab, only to be treated badly there. He says that despite investing a sizeable sum of money ($4.7 million, I think was reported); he was discouraged by the corruption and nepotism. The need to distribute money widely in order to help things along finally became too much for him to bear. This expectation that people will happily pay bribes does not honor us as a nation, and certainly does not seem fair treatment for someone who thought he could benefit his native district.

I would very much like to see Bihar break this mold! It would be amazing and gratifying to see our state, which has been humbled and derided at almost every turn, become a prime example of a system that simultaneously works and respects the boundaries of honor and lawfulness.

I encourage all the readers to feel free to send comments and suggestions. Thanks.

Return to previous Page