An Analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) faced by the people of
BIHAR
By
Ramesh N. Desai & Bharat R. Dholakia
Bihar has been in the news for all the wrong reasons such as floods, droughts, Bhagalpur bljndings, caste clashes, Naxalite attacks, personal animosity- the list can be long.
India is a land of diversity in terms of language, culture, customs, religion, festivals and a host of others. Some people are with the times-progressive. Many others are unfortunately not so for a variety of reasons. For sociologists and psychologists, the study of these issues in respect of Bihar and Biharis in the form of a SWOT Analysis may be of interest. This study has been made by outsiders with some experience of working in Bihar.It has been done in as balanced a manner as possible.
STRENGTHS
1. They are extremely intelligent.
2. Have a logical and argumentative brain.
3. Proud to be Biharis.
4. Extremely competitive. There is a large no. of Biharis in civil services such as IAS, IPS etc.
5. Very perseverant.
6. Strong caste affinity.
7. Conscious of their rights.
8. Love values in OTHERS and respect outsiders with values.
9. Blessed with highly fertile land, huge water resources, abundant mineral wealth etc.
10 Ancient learning centres, universities, religious places that they have reason to be proud of.
11 Two religions viz. Buddhism and Jainism originated here.
12 Deeply attached to community festivals and celebrations.
WEAKNESSES
1. Within the state, they avoid work.
2. Extreme caste system generating perpetual animosity among castes. Caste comes before state, nation or any common goals.
3. Human Development Index very low.
4. Though highly educated, people tend to be violent- this in a state where not one but two religions extolling Non-Violence originated.
5. Respect and worship only powerful people and tend to repress people less powerful than them. A hierarchy of power gets established.
6. Dowry system very strong. Boys can command any sum depending on education / job / wealth.
7. Can flout rules for personal gain.
8. Performance only under authoritative pressure- a slavish characteristic.
9. Strong belief in PAIRAVI (manipulation) and SIFARISH (Recommendation).
10. Strong feudal outlook Unduly submissive to strong boss / landlord.
11. Capable of manipulating documents for selfish ends.
12. Low standard of honesty in business deals.
13. Lack entrepreneurial spirit. Would rather seek positions of power.
14. Cleanliness at a total discount.
15. Family planning is more or less absent. Even educated people have many children. Lalu Prasad is more the norm in this matter rather than an exception.
OPPORTUNITIES
1. Optimum use of natural resources such as land, water and minerals in a scientific and businesslike manner.
2. Use of intellectual capital for research, I.T., BPO, Advertising, Marketing, Financial services etc. Service industries in general can be started here.
3. Establishment of Entrepreneurship Development Institutes in every district for producing job givers rather than job seekers.
4. Community education (in the right sense of the word) for bridging gaps between communities.
5. Use of LPG i.e. Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization to overcome feudal system.
6. Vast pool of unskilled labour can be put to optimum use for construction and in industries on the lines of the early days of the Chinese revolution. They used human conveyor system in place of conveyor belts or other mechanical means for intra-plant transportation of raw materials, intermediate products and finished products. Unskilled labour can be used in greater quantities than at present in states short of unskilled labour. If the rest of the country benefits from the use of Bihar’s minerals like coal, iron, uranium etc., it stands to reason that they play host to Bihari unskilled labour as well.
7. Establishment of world class educational institutes like IITs, IIMs, Agricultural Universities.
8.Setting up ITIs in every Tehsil for training apprentices in various trades including construction and agriculture related trades.
9.Promote Dairies and other Agro-processing industries.
10. Invoke past glory to infuse sense of capabilities and potentialities.
11. Welcome people from other states to come, settle and contribute on a reciprocal basis.
THREATS
1. General disinclination to discard social behaviour such as casteism, feudal living and past animosities.
2. Badly managed educational institutes where degrees are manufactured rather than preparing learned students. There is a possibility of a Bihar degree to be considered a disqualification rather than a qualification outside the state.
3. Migration of good, capable and honest people to areas outside the state in view of an unsuitable environment within the state. This aggravates further, the troubles of the state.
4. Literacy levels appear to be sinking lower and lower. Children to be found more on buffalo backs than in schools.
5. Industrialization may be reduced rather than enhanced if money/muscle/land power continues to prevail over better sense.
6. Threat of Maoists’ takeover akin to neighbouring Nepal.
A
Very crude analysis... but such simplification of a state's outlook does not serve any purpose. Neither it gives the right picture nor provides the right perspective to the outsiders. For ex. a lot of the points are features of any Indian state... which many people out of their ignorance think, that it is an exclusive characteristic of Bihar only... Not Correct!!
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