Bihar is still the poorest and most backward state in the country, according to the Planning Commission's National Human Development Report 2001.
Be it the percentage of people below poverty line, literacy and dropout rates, healthcare or rural development, Bihar's unenviable position at the bottom of the ladder remains unchallenged.

The state has the lowest per capita consumption expenditure.

An estimated 42.6 per cent of its population is below the poverty line, against a national average of 26.1 per cent. Bihar slid on the human poverty index from the 30th position in 1981 to the 32nd position in 2001. Close to 84 per cent of students drop out at the Class X level.

Lack of funds is the most-cited excuse for the state's poor showing.

However, crores of rupees in Central assistance meant for various development projects remained unutilised during the last financial year.

Despite its alarming decadal population growth rate of 28 per cent, Rs 11 crore earmarked for family planning was not used.

Rs 32 crore meant for controlling iodine-deficiency diseases and checking food adulteration lay unused. Rs 57 lakh of Central funds for blindness control was allowed to lapse. According to a national family health survey (1989-99), only 10.6 per cent of the state's children have been given the BCG, DPT, polio and measles vaccines.

Even the growth of Maoist militancy in the state has not perturbed the administration.

Though Bihar Police is very poorly equipped, of the Rs 115 crore sanctioned for police modernisation, only Rs 25 crore has been used. The amount was sanctioned in 2000-01 and went unused then. The Centre gave the fund again the following year.