Public Health Expenditure and Human Development in Bihar: An Empirical Analysis

Author(s)	Dr. Gobind Kumar Sharma
Country	India
Abstract	Public health expenditure plays an important part in bringing about better human development results especially in economically backward and socially backward areas. Bihar, one of the most populous states of India, has historically lagged behind national averages across key indicators of health and human development in spite of the recent improvements. This paper covers the trends in the expenditure for public health in Bihar and analyses its relationship with human development outcomes such as infant mortality, maternal health, life expectancy and overall human development. Using secondary data from the government budget documents, National Family Health Survey (NFHS), Economic Survey of Bihar and NITI Aayog reports between the years 2010-11 and 2023-24, the study uses descriptive and analytical analysis methods such as trend analysis and ratio analysis. The results show that though expenditure on public health in Bihar has risen in absolute terms, it is still not sufficient for the size of the population and development needs in Bihar. Improvements in health outcomes have been slow and patchy and suggest the need for more than just increased expenditure without the improvement in efficiency, governance and regional disparities.
Keywords	Public Health Expenditure, Human Development, Bihar, Health Outcomes, State Finances
Field	Sociology > Economics
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 3, May-June 2026
Published On	2026-05-05

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