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What is the story about?
As
Bihar gears up for assembly elections next month, unemployment, migration, and poverty continue to dominate the state's political and social landscape. Despite tall promises and welfare schemes, the outflow of young workers in search of better opportunities shows no signs of slowing.According to the Election Commission, the two-phase polls will be held on November 6 and 11, with counting on November 14. While Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the ruling NDA face anti-incumbency concerns, the Opposition INDIA bloc led by the RJD and Congress is betting on voter discontent over jobs and migration to swing the polls.
A Persistent Exodus
Migration from Bihar has been a chronic issue for decades, but its scale and persistence remain striking. The 2011 Census recorded 74.54 lakh migrants from Bihar spread across 34 states and Union Territories — second only to Uttar Pradesh. About 30% of them cited employment as the reason for leaving, a figure that continues to rise, explains The Indian Express.More recent data backs this up. The Economic Survey of India (2016–17) found that Bihar had among the highest net outmigration rates in the country, and the number of young people leaving nearly tripled between 1991–2001 and 2001–11. A 2024 study by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Institute for Human Development showed that nearly 39% of Bihar’s migrants in 2021 cited employment as the reason for moving out.At the heart of the crisis lies Bihar's economic imbalance. The state's 2024–25 Economic Survey shows that while the primary sector, mainly agriculture, contributes only 19.9% of Bihar’s total output, it employs over half of its workforce. The secondary sector, including manufacturing and construction, provides just 23.6% of jobs. The state's per capita income, at Rs 32,174 in 2023–24, remains the lowest in India - less than one-third of the national average.‘We Can’t Afford to Go Home’
The migration story is not just about statistics - it's about the everyday choices of millions of Biharis who move to survive.In Kerala's Alappuzha, Bipesh Kumar Yadav fills petrol at a local pump, his thoughts fixed on the upcoming Bihar polls. "I joined work here only a month ago. Asking for leave now would not be appropriate," he said. "Young people in Bihar have to migrate for jobs. There are not enough opportunities in our state," he added. Like Bipesh, thousands of workers from Bihar are scattered across India — in factories, construction sites, and hotels — too far and too poor to return home to vote.In Tamil Nadu, Ajay Kumar, a construction worker in Chennai, explains why he can’t make the journey back. "In case I decide to go to Patna, I would need six days for the round trip and a few more to spend with my family. So, I may not go home," he added, as quoted by PTI. Bihari workers now form one of the largest migrant communities in Tamil Nadu after those from Odisha, according to official data. A 2024 report by the State Planning Commission found that many live and work in cramped sites, often without steady wages or benefits."They rarely take breaks or return home. Many have enrolled their children in local schools, cutting emotional ties with their home state," said Siluvai Vasthian of HEAL Movement, an NGO working with migrant communities.The Pull and the Push
Bihar's slow job growth is mirrored by its social inequalities. The state ranks last in the NITI Aayog's Multidimensional Poverty Index, with over one-third of its population still classified as multidimensionally poor.Migration corridors from Bihar to states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal remain among the busiest in India. According to the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), four of the ten most popular migration routes in 2023 originated in Bihar.Migration is a survival strategy, said Benoy Peter, executive director of the Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development (CMID). Most migrants from Bihar are skilled or semi-skilled workers who contribute significantly to the economies of states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu. But they often remain invisible — both economically and politically," he said, as per PTI. With elections scheduled close to Chhath Puja, many migrants are expected to make the long journey home to vote. Train bookings from Kerala to Bihar are already on waiting lists until mid-November.The Politics of Migration
The issue of migration has once again taken centre stage in Bihar's political narrative. The Congress, a key constituent of the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, recently launched its "Palayan Roko, Naukri Do" (Stop Migration, Give Jobs) yatra, while the BJP used its Bihar Diwas celebrations to reach out to migrants living in other states.Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has long demanded special status for Bihar, faces renewed criticism for failing to deliver on that promise despite being allied with the BJP. Opposition leaders argue that special status could have brought more central funds and investments to create jobs and curb migration.Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc has linked migration to broader issues of social justice and representation. "When there are no jobs, people have no choice but to leave," RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav recently said at a rally.A Vote That Rarely Counts
For most migrants, democracy feels distant. Many are not registered to vote in their place of work, and returning home means lost wages and unaffordable travel costs."Going to Bihar would mean losing several days of wages, which I can’t afford," said Alok, who works at a hotel in Chennai. He suggested that the government consider creating a mechanism to help migrant workers vote from their place of work.Do you find this article useful?
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