Agriculture, Industries and Transportation In Bihar

Bihar is one of the fastest-growing states in India. Bihar’s per-capita net state domestic product (NSDP) has grown significantly. Bihar is a state that mostly produces agricultural goods. Bihar produces a significant share of the fruits and vegetables consumed in India. Nearly a third of the people in Bihar are employed in agriculture. Additionally, a number of enterprises find the state to be an appropriate place because of its vast pool of affordable industrial labour. Therefore, the state holds impressive success in the mining and manufacturing industries. Bihar saw the second-fastest growth in vehicle registrations in India between 2009 and 2013, according to the Year Book of Road Transport 2013.

The topic of agriculture, industries and transportation becomes important for the aspirants of the Bihar Public Service Commission exam and aspirants must acquire particular knowledge about the state of Bihar, including its history, geography, politics, economy and current affairs. Despite its agriculture contribution and industries, the state’s economy lags behind other states in terms of per capita income, and a sizable portion of its population lives below the poverty line.

In the given article, we are providing thorough study materials on “Agriculture, Transport & Industries in Bihar” to help candidates prepare for competitive exams like the BPSC and other state-level exams. Find details about the exam notification, syllabus and exam pattern of the BPSC Exam, by visiting the linked article.

Agriculture In Bihar

Bihar is primarily an agricultural state where farming is subsistent in nature. It is one of the nation’s strongest states in terms of agriculture. The agriculture sector employs almost 80% of the state’s population, which is over the national average of 58%. In India, Bihar is the eighth-largest producer of fruits and the fourth-largest producer of vegetables. Some of the industries in the state that are expanding swiftly include food processing, dairy, sugar, manufacturing and healthcare. Hence, agriculture is the main driver of wealth in Bihar.

The agriculture sector can be described in detail in terms of crops and irrigation.

Read in detail about Agriculture in India, to comprehensively prepare for the government exams.

Crops In Bihar 

• • Bihar has been divided into four primary agro-climatic zones based on soil characteristics, rainfall, temperature, and topography. 
  • Foodgrains like rice, paddy, wheat, jute, maize and oil seeds are the primary crops. 
    • The state grows a variety of vegetables, including cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, radishes, carrots and beets. 
    • Some of the non-cereal crops farmed include sugarcane, potatoes and barley. 
  • Gopalganj and Madhepura have the highest net sown area.
  • Modern agricultural techniques and contract farming methods are being accepted by farmers, which is a positive development for the agriculture sector. 
  • In Bihar, there are three distinct crop seasons: Kharif, Rabi and Zaid.

• Kharif Crops:

• • • Kharif season begins in the third week of May and ends at the end of October.
    • It is also called Bhadai and Aghani crops.
    • Important crops include maize, paddy and jute.

• Rabi Crops:

• • • Rabi crops are sown in October-November and harvested in March-April.
    • Important crops include Wheat, Gram, Rapeseed and Mustard.

• Zaid Crops:

• • • Zaid season is used to produce mainly fruits.
    • Crops of this season are produced between Rabi and Kharif crop seasons.
    • Important crops include Muskmelon, Watermelon, Gourd etc.
    • Litchi of Muzaffarpur is famous all over India.
    • Bihar is known for its Litchi and Mango production.

Some of the most grown crops in the state of Bihar are:

• Wheat:
  • • The Bagmati Plains and Ganga Diara are the most significant regions for wheat production. 
    • Sandy soil with the ability to hold moisture is best suited.
    • Maximum productivity regions- Jahanabad, Patna and Gaya.
    • Maximum production areas – Rohtas, Kaimur and Siwan.
    • Maximum area under wheat cultivation- Rohtas, East Champaran and Aurangabad.
• Rice: 
  • • Bihar’s primary crop is rice.
    • There are two types of rice crops: Aus (Summer Crop) and Aman (Winter Crop).
    • Maximum productivity regions- Arwal, Rohtas and Sheikhpura.
    • Maximum production areas – Rohtas, Aurangabad and West Champaran
    • Maximum area under rice cultivation- Madhubani, Aurangabad and Rohtas.
• Jute:

• • • Jute production in Bihar is second only to West Bengal in the country.
    • It requires alluvial soil with a large amount of rainfall.
    • Major district for jute production – Kishanganj and Purnea

• Maize:

• • • For maize production, light clay soil, such as Bal Sundari soil is ideal.
    • Maximum productivity areas- Katihar
    • Maximum production areas- Katihar, Madhepura and Khagaria
    • Maximum area under maize cultivation- Khagaria

• Pulses:

• • Major pulses grown in the state are: arhar, gram, urad, masoor, moong and khesari.
  • Maximum productivity region- Kaimur.
  • Maximum production areas- Patna, Aurangabad and Nalanda.
  • Maximum area under pulses cultivation- Patna, Aurangabad and Muzaffarpur.

Learn about crops-related topics from the links below:

Irrigation In Bihar

Proper irrigation of crops increases agricultural output, hence improving people’s lives. Bihar has a very high potential for irrigation, but relatively little of it is being used. 

• Bihar receives a fair amount of rainfall. 
• However, the distribution of irrigation systems and rainfall across different areas is uneven. 
• Canals account for 37% of irrigation in Bihar while tube wells and wells & ponds account for 30% each. 
• The South Bihar region accounts for almost 3/4 of the Canal Irrigated Area.

The following canals are used to irrigate several regions of Bihar:

• Kosi Canal: 
  • • Two canals taken out from Hanuman Nagar reservoir.
    • Eastern Kosi Canal – irrigates Purnia, Madhepura and Saharsa.
    • Western Kosi Canal – irrigates Darbhanga district.
• Sone Canal:
  • • Eastern Sone Canal taken out from Barun – irrigates Patna, Jahanabad, Aurangabad and Gaya.
    • Western Sone Canal has been taken out from Tishri – irrigating Ara, Buxar and Rohtas.
• Kamla Canal:
  • • It is taken out from the Kamla River in Darbhanga.
    • It irrigates mainly the Madhubani district.
• Triveni Canal:
  • • It is taken out from Gandak river at Triveni.
    • It irrigates the West Champaran district.
• Gandak Canal:
• • • Two Canals taken out from the dam at Valmiki Nagar.
    • Saran Canal – irrigates Saran, Gopalganj and Siwan.
    • Tirhut Canal – irrigates Muzaffarpur, Vaishali and East Champaran.

Bihar is richly endowed with rainfall, healthy soil, and readily available groundwater, but the state failed to exploit its great agricultural potential, which contributed to rural poverty, poor nutrition, and labour migration within the state. Agriculture in Bihar is prone to natural calamities, especially floods in north Bihar and drought in south Bihar. Utilising suitable crop technology and providing crop insurance to all farmers can reduce the risk of natural disasters. 

Get more information on Agricultural Revolutions in India from the linked article.

Related Links

Industries in Bihar

With a growth rate well below the national average, Bihar’s industrial sector is not in a very good condition. Compared to the national average of 20.1%, Bihar’s industrial sector accounts for just 3.2% of the state’s net domestic product in terms of income. Food processing, IT & electronics and textiles & leather are the state’s three highest-priority industries. Some of the rapidly expanding sectors in the state that are bringing in investment prospects in Bihar are food processing, dairy, sugar, manufacturing and healthcare. 

Some of the facts important for the exam related to the industrial sector in Bihar are given below. Candidates must make a note of these facts if they are preparing for the BPSC exam and other related government exams:

• • Most of the industries are based on agriculture.
  • The Dutch founded the first sugar-producing enterprise in 1840.
  • The Bihar State Milk Cooperative Federation (CONFED) was founded in 1983.
  • Silk industry growth has enormous potential in the Bhagalpur region.
  • Bihar is also home to the tea industry. The Kishanganj district in Bihar is where the majority of the tea industry is located.
  • The Purnia district’s Maranga is being transformed into Jute Park.
  • Along with other industries, the leather industry is also located in Bihar. Muzaffarpur and Mokama are the main centres for the leather industry. The majority of the raw materials travel to Kolkata, Kanpur, and Chennai as a result of the limited number of operating industries.
• Barauni Refinery:
  • • It is owned by Indian Oil Corporation.
    • It is located in Begusarai.
    • It gets its oil from the Assamese oilfield of Numaligarh.
• Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA): 
  • • It was established under the BIAD Act of 1974 to support Bihar’s industrialization.
    • With locations in Patna, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, and Bhagalpur, it has 4 regional offices.
• Bharat Wagon and Engineering Company Limited:
• • • The PSU is situated in Mokama.
    • It manufactures rail wagons.

Small businesses and artisan-based industries dominate small industries, which are important to the state’s industrial sector. Even when productivity and overall production in this industry remain low, they generally make a significant contribution to job creation. Due to the fact that they generate about half of the net value added in Bihar today, agro-based businesses play a significant role in the industry.

Aspirants of the civil service exam and other government exams must visit the following links to understand more such topics:

Transportation In Bihar

Various modes of transportation in the state of Bihar are given below:

Railways Transport In Bihar

The railway network in Bihar is excellent and provides first-rate citizen centric railway services to the people. Most of the cities have a railway junction that facilitates railway travel across the state. 

• • In Bihar, the East India Company built its first railways in 1860–1862.
  • There are three rail lines in Bihar:
• North-Eastern Railway – North Bihar:
• • • • The North Eastern Railway is one of the 19 railway zones of Indian Railways in India.
      • It serves as one of the most significant transit zones, receiving loaded wagons, particularly those carrying food grains, from Northern Railway divisions like Firozpur and transporting them to the Eastern belt and the Northern Frontier region (Seven Sister States).
      • North Eastern Railway runs a number of passenger trains for the economically weaker sections because it serves a broad area that stretches from the western part of Uttar Pradesh to eastern Uttar Pradesh and an area that includes western Bihar.
      • It is headquartered in Gorakhpur (UP).

• East Central Railway – South Bihar

• • • • The headquarters of the East Central Railway is located in Hajipur in the Vaishali district of Bihar.
      • It consists of the divisions of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Sonpur, Samastipur, Danapur, and Dhanbad.
      • ECR has a wide network that spans the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, totalling 5402.693 track kilometres and 3707.988 route kilometres.
      • Due to the enormous amount of coal being loaded in the coal-bearing Dhanbad division of Jharkhand state and the highly populated area of Bihar, ECR is exceptional in that both goods loading and passenger traffic assume major importance. 
      • Rapid expansion in these industries has made it necessary to upgrade the railways’ infrastructure.
• North-East Frontier Railway ­- ­­­North-East Bihar
• • • • Its headquarters are at Maligaon, Guwahati, Assam.
      • It is in charge of running and expanding the rail network in all of the Northeastern states as well as some areas in eastern Bihar and northern West Bengal.
      • There are 5 divisions on the Northeast Frontier Railway: Alipurduar railway division, Tinsukia railway division, Katihar railway division, Rangiya railway division and Lumding railway division.
      • A Divisional Railway Manager, a Senior Administrative Grade officer with the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India, is in charge of each of these divisions.
      • The area of Northeast Frontier Railway operations is characterised by exceptional beauty and at the same time by some of the most arduous terrains.

Learn more about some of the Interesting Facts of Indian Railways on the linked page.

Aspirants can go through the following relevant links for comprehensive preparation of the upcoming Civil Services exams –

Road Transport Sector In Bihar

Roadways are the most common means of transport used by people. Road transportation is crucial in driving the state’s economic growth and social integration. It includes National Highways, State Highways, District Roads and Rural Roads.

• In comparison to the national average of 358 km, the state of Bihar has around200 km of roads per lakh population.
• Adequate and proper roadways are imperative for the development of the population.
• With 210 km of roads per 100 square km, Bihar is far ahead of all other states, other than Kerala and West Bengal, in terms of road density.
• Few facts related to this mode of transportation important for the examination are given below:

Read in detail about the Roads Projects in India, in the linked article. Aspirants of competitive exams, must know in detail about the following links:

Airways Transport in Bihar

• Air transportation plays a vital role in facilitating the growth of business and economy of the state. 
• It has reduced the distance by minimising travel time and hence is the fastest way of moving from one place to another.
• In Bihar, there are two international airports:
  • Gaya International Airport:
    • The airport is located 12 kilometres south-west of Gaya and 5 kilometres away from the temple city of Bodh Gaya, from where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.
    • It was primarily built for Buddhist tourism in Gaya.
    • This airport is mainly seasonal and primarily caters to Buddhist tourists coming from South East Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, etc.
  • Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport, Patna:
    • The airport is located in Patna, the state capital of Bihar in India.
    • It is named after the independence activist and political leader, Jayprakash Narayan. 
    • It is the 14th busiest airport in India, from April 2021 – March 2022.

Also, learn about the National Infrastructure Pipeline [NIP], on the linked page.

Waterways in Bihar

• Waterways are the cheapest means of transport.
• Bihar Steamer Service is accessible in Bhagalpur at Bararighat.
• This mode of transportation is both fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly.
• Bihar is traversed by the National Waterway No. 1, which runs from Allahabad to Haldia.
• Other than Bihar the National Waterway-1, established as a national waterway in 1986, runs across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal and is based on the Ganga-Bhagirathi and Hooghly river systems. 
• Seven rivers in Bihar- the Ganga, Gandak, Ghagra, Kosi, Karamnasa, Sone and Punpun- are among the 111 streams that India has designated as national waterways.
• The recently established National Waterways – 37 (Gandak River) and – 58 (Kosi River) are mostly in Bihar, with only a small section of the Gandak waterway planned in Uttar Pradesh. 
• Ara Canal is also used for navigation purposes.
• Additionally, the Kosi and Gandak rivers would be developed as international Indo-Nepal waterways to offer Nepal with sea connection, according to a recent joint declaration by the governments of India and Nepal.

Learn in detail about the National Waterways in India, in the linked article.

If you are preparing for the BPSC Exam, also visit the following articles to aid in your preparation:

The above notes cover the agriculture, industries and transportation in the state of Bihar. Candidates of the BPSC exams should use these notes in conjunction with the NCERT Books to cover the complete Syllabus for Geography.