Governance, Indian Polity & Constitution
Context: While addressing a summit in UP, PM recalled the tag of ‘BIMARU’, once used to describe the state.
What do BIMARU states mean, who coined the term?
- BIMARU refers to a group of states in India, namely Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
- The term was coined by the late demographer Ashish Bose in 1985 to highlight India’s demographic malady.
- Grouping was primarily based on their high population growth rates and a lack of progress in family planning and population control efforts.
- The term BIMARU means “sickly” in Hindi.
- Was used to refer to the slow rate of growth in terms of the economy, healthcare, education and other socio-economic characteristics.
- A 2020 report of the National Commission on Population of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, titled Report of the Technical Group on Population Projection, said BIMARU states will contribute to 49.1% of the population increase in India between 2011 and 2036.
- The literacy rates in these states according to the 2011 census against a National average of 74.04%., are:
- Bihar 63.8%,
- Rajasthan 67.1%,
- Jharkhand 67.6%,
- Madhya Pradesh 70.6% and
- Uttar Pradesh 71.7%
Source – Indian Express
