Number Theory: Bihar's poverty hurdle, explained in six charts

That Bihar is among the poorest states in the country is well known. Its per capita GSDP in 2022-23, the latest year for which this number is available, was ₹35,118 at constant prices. This is the lowest for states with a population of at least 10 million. What explains Bihar’s poverty? Can extending reservations, like the Bihar government has done with the bill introduced on Thursday, solve this problem? The answer to this question is not as simple as it sounds. Here are six charts which try to explain this.