Bihar will vote in five phases

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In a much anticipated election, Bihar will vote in five phases from October 12 to November 5. In the five-year period from 2009 to 2014, the state's economy has grown at an average of 10 per cent. The state's per capita income in constant prices has increased from about Rs 10,600 to Rs 15,600 in this period. Yet the state remains behind the national average; its 2013-14 per capita income was just 39 per cent of the national average. In 2009-10, it was 31 per cent.

In the same period, the state's economy has seen structural changes too, with its GDP seeing a decline in agriculture's contribution and higher participation from manufacturing and services sectors.

On social parameters, Bihar has grown. The literacy rate increased by around 15 percentage points between 2001 and 2011, while nationally it improved by eight percentage points. The state has also registered improvements in the Infant Mortality Rate and access to safe drinking water. But, it continues to have a low sex ratio, less urbanisation and uneven growth. For instance, in 2011-12, while districts such as Patna and Munger had a per capita GSDP of Rs 63,000 and Rs 22,000, respectively, others such as Madhepura (Rs 8,609) and Sheohar (Rs 7,092) had low per capita incomes.