{"id":"in-bihar","country":"in","kind":"state","name":{"en":"Bihar","local":"बिहार"},"languages":["hi","mai","bho","en"],"currency":"INR","symbol":"₹","fxPerUsd":94,"cities":{"T1":"Patna","T2":"Gaya","T3":"Bettiah"},"basket":{"teaCup":10,"simpleMeal":70,"haircutMen":60,"milkLitre":59,"breadLoaf":40,"unskilledDayWage":450,"minWageMonthly":11336,"shopRentSqftMonth":{"T1":90,"T2":40,"T3":18},"electricityCommercialKwh":8.2,"lpgCommercialCylinder":3100.5,"petrolLitre":113.37},"tax":{"salesTax":"GST 5/18% (national)","smallBizThreshold":"₹40 lakh goods / ₹20 lakh services (national)","localLevies":"Professional tax ₹1,000–2,500/yr above ₹3 lakh income; municipal licence capped at ₹2,500/yr"},"licences":[{"name":"Shops & Establishments registration (only 10+ workers after 2026 ordinance repealing the Bihar Shops and Establishments Act 2025)","fee":"Nil for shops with fewer than 10 workers","authority":"Labour Resources Department","source":"https://patnapress.com/bihar-shops-registration-labour-code-small-business-relief/"},{"name":"Municipal (trade) licence, Patna Municipal Corporation (s.342 Bihar Municipal Act 2007)","fee":"Up to ₹2,500/yr (statutory cap); no published schedule","authority":"Patna Municipal Corporation","source":"https://calcguru.in/?p=5325"}],"festivals":[{"name":"Chhath Puja","dates2026_27":"13–16 Nov 2026 (Sandhya Arghya 15 Nov)","effect":"Biggest demand spike of the year: fruit, sugarcane, soop baskets, ghee, jaggery, new clothes; migrant workers return; many shops shut on the two arghya days"},{"name":"Diwali / Dhanteras","dates2026_27":"6–8 Nov 2026","effect":"Sweets, utensils, electronics and clothing peak; precedes Chhath so the whole of November is high season"},{"name":"Sonepur Mela","dates2026_27":"From Kartik Purnima, 24 Nov 2026, about a month","effect":"Huge fair near Hajipur; stall demand and temporary vending income"},{"name":"Holi","dates2026_27":"about 22 Mar 2027","effect":"Sweets, colours, meat and new clothes demand; markets shut on Holi day"},{"name":"Makar Sankranti (dahi-chura, tilkut)","dates2026_27":"14 Jan 2027","effect":"Tilkut, curd and chura sales peak (Gaya tilkut famous)"}],"seasons":[{"months":"Apr–Jun","what":"Heat and loo winds (45°C); afternoon trade collapses, cold-drink demand up"},{"months":"Jul–Sep","what":"Monsoon floods in north Bihar (Kosi, Gandak, Bagmati); roads cut, stock losses"},{"months":"Dec–Jan","what":"Cold wave and dense fog; late opening, tea demand up"}],"payments":{"digitalShare":"about 35–55% in Patna; 20–40% in T2/T3 towns","credit":"udhaar very common in kirana; settled after harvest and when migrant remittances arrive"},"notes":"Bihar is India's poorest state by income (about ₹85k per head, a third of the national figure) and its least urban (11%), so prices, wages and rents sit well below national presets while fuel is among the dearest (commercial LPG ₹3,100.50 and petrol ₹113 are top-of-table). Demand is shaped by remittances from migrant workers and by an outsized festival cycle: Diwali and Chhath make November the peak month, when migrants return and helpers go home. Since 2016 the state has had total liquor prohibition, and since mid-2026 shops with fewer than 10 workers no longer need Shops Act registration, though a municipal licence (capped at ₹2,500) still applies. North Bihar floods every monsoon. A large women's cash-transfer and enterprise scheme (₹10,000 then ₹20,000 tranches) has put working capital into village micro-businesses.","factors":[{"id":"P01","cat":"Wages","name":"Minimum wage, unskilled, shops & commercial establishments","value":"₹436/day, ₹11,336/month incl. VDA (from 1 Apr 2026; Oct 2026 VDA order not yet seen)","role":"HV","source":"https://hrengage.ai/compliance/minimum-wages/bihar","estimate":false},{"id":"P02","cat":"Wages","name":"Minimum wage, semi-skilled / skilled","value":"₹452/day (₹11,752) semi-skilled; ₹551/day (₹14,326) skilled","role":"HV","source":"https://hrengage.ai/compliance/minimum-wages/bihar","estimate":false},{"id":"P03","cat":"Wages","name":"Minimum wage, highly skilled","value":"₹672/day (₹17,472/month)","role":"HV","source":"https://hrengage.ai/compliance/minimum-wages/bihar","estimate":false},{"id":"P04","cat":"Wages","name":"Typical informal shop helper pay (T2)","value":"₹7,000–10,000/month (Gaya), ₹9,000–12,000 (Patna)","role":"HV","source":"Est.: informal helpers commonly paid at or below the state floor; based on the state unskilled minimum and the national informal-helper presets in the BizGame shared constants (T2 ₹9–13k)","estimate":true},{"id":"P05","cat":"Rent","name":"Small shop rent, T1 (Patna)","value":"₹90/sq ft/month","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Patna agent listings span ₹28/sq ft (Mithapur, 3,000 sq ft) to ₹155/sq ft (Patliputra Colony showroom); a small high-street shop set at ₹90 — https://houssed.com/rent/commercial/listing/patna","estimate":true},{"id":"P06","cat":"Rent","name":"Small shop rent, T2 (Gaya)","value":"₹40/sq ft/month","role":"HV","source":"Est.: no 2026 high-street rent survey found for this city; reasoned from the BizGame national presets (T1 ₹80–150, T2 ₹35–70, T3 ₹15–30 per sq ft/month) and the city's size and land scarcity","estimate":true},{"id":"P07","cat":"Rent","name":"Small shop rent, T3 (Bettiah)","value":"₹18/sq ft/month","role":"HV","source":"Est.: no 2026 high-street rent survey found for this city; reasoned from the BizGame national presets (T1 ₹80–150, T2 ₹35–70, T3 ₹15–30 per sq ft/month) and the city's size and land scarcity","estimate":true},{"id":"P08","cat":"Energy","name":"Commercial electricity, small shop (~200 units/month)","value":"₹7.73/unit energy charge (NDS-II, BERC order 18 Mar 2026) + 6% electricity duty ≈ ₹8.2/unit; fixed ₹150/connection (≤0.5 kW) or ₹300/kVA/month","role":"HV","source":"https://thediscombill.com/tariffs/bihar/","estimate":false},{"id":"P09","cat":"Energy","name":"Commercial LPG 19 kg cylinder","value":"₹3,100.5 (25 Oct 2026; national Delhi reference ₹2,810)","role":"HV","source":"https://www.goodreturns.in/lpg-price.html","estimate":false},{"id":"P10","cat":"Energy","name":"Domestic LPG 14.2 kg (illegal for commercial use)","value":"₹1,031.50 (highest among major states)","role":"HV","source":"https://www.goodreturns.in/lpg-price.html","estimate":false},{"id":"P11","cat":"Energy","name":"Petrol, per litre","value":"₹113.37 (25 Oct 2026)","role":"HV","source":"https://www.goodreturns.in/petrol-price.html","estimate":false},{"id":"P12","cat":"Tax","name":"Professional tax","value":"Annual: nil up to ₹3 lakh income, ₹1,000 (₹3–5 lakh), ₹2,000, ₹2,500 cap; due by 30 Nov","role":"HV","source":"https://calcguru.in/professional-tax-india-state-wise-guide-fy-2026-27/","estimate":false},{"id":"P13","cat":"Tax","name":"GST registration threshold / composition","value":"National thresholds apply (₹40 lakh goods / ₹20 lakh services); composition up to ₹1.5 crore","role":"PD","source":"https://cleartax.in/s/special-category-states-in-gst","estimate":false},{"id":"P14","cat":"Prices","name":"Cup of tea, roadside (T2)","value":"₹10","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Gaya roadside tea ₹10 (₹7–8 'cutting' common in Patna stalls); national chai notes put a tapri cup at ₹10–15 with milk ~55% of cost; set from the state milk price and wage level","estimate":true},{"id":"P15","cat":"Prices","name":"Simple veg meal / thali (T2)","value":"₹70","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Gaya veg thali ₹60–80; litti-chokha plate ₹30–40; scaled from the national street-food meal band (₹60–120) by state wage and rent level","estimate":true},{"id":"P16","cat":"Prices","name":"Men's haircut, basic salon (T2)","value":"₹60","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Gaya ₹50–70; scaled from the national salon notes (basic men's cut ₹80–150 urban, ₹50–80 T3)","estimate":true},{"id":"P17","cat":"Prices","name":"Packet milk, per litre (toned/standard)","value":"₹59/L Sudha Shakti (from May 2026, +₹2); Sudha Gold ₹67, cow ₹56","role":"HV","source":"https://patnapress.com/sudha-milk-price-hike-bihar-rs-2-per-litre-dairy-cost-increase/","estimate":false},{"id":"P18","cat":"Prices","name":"Bread loaf, 400 g (T2)","value":"₹40","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Gaya ₹40; national branded 400 g loaf ₹40–50 plus freight to the state","estimate":true},{"id":"P19","cat":"Wages","name":"Casual unskilled day wage, open market (T2)","value":"₹450/day","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Gaya casual labour ₹450/day; open-market casual rates run at or slightly above the notified unskilled floor in towns (MGNREGA and construction rates as lower/upper anchors)","estimate":true},{"id":"P20","cat":"Demographics","name":"Per-capita income (GSDP per capita, current prices)","value":"₹84,925 (2025–26), lowest of all states; India ₹2,51,393","role":"HV","source":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_states_and_union_territories_by_GDP_per_capita","estimate":false},{"id":"P21","cat":"Demographics","name":"Urbanisation (Census 2011; Census 2027 pending)","value":"11.3% urban, lowest of major states","role":"HV","source":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_and_union_territories_of_India_by_urban_population","estimate":false},{"id":"P22","cat":"Language","name":"Business languages","value":"Hindi (official), Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magahi, Urdu (second official); shop signage mostly Hindi","role":"HV","source":"Est.: Bihar Official Language Act (Hindi; Urdu second official language in notified districts); dialect regions from Census 2011 language data","estimate":true},{"id":"P23","cat":"Payments","name":"Digital (UPI) share of small-shop takings","value":"about 35–55% in Patna; 20–40% in T2/T3 towns","role":"HV","source":"Est.: national UPI is 86.8% of retail payment volume (Q1 FY27, CareEdge) but street/kirana merchant shares are far lower; scaled down for this state's income and urbanisation — https://www.outlookbusiness.com/amp/story/news/upi-emerges-as-dominant-retail-payment-system-with-transaction-volume-share-at-87-careedge","estimate":true},{"id":"P24","cat":"Payments","name":"Credit culture","value":"udhaar very common in kirana; settled after harvest and when migrant remittances arrive","role":"HV","source":"Est.: kirana/udhaar pattern from BizGame kirana notes, adjusted for state income level","estimate":true},{"id":"P25","cat":"Currency","name":"INR per USD","value":"₹95.7 (RBI reference, Sep 2026)","role":"HV","source":"https://www.wisemonk.io/blogs/indias-minimum-wage-guide-in-usd","estimate":false},{"id":"P26","cat":"Licences","name":"Shops Act registration threshold","value":"Only shops with 10+ workers must register (ordinance assented 28 May 2026; repeal bill in Assembly Jul 2026)","role":"HV","source":"https://patnapress.com/bihar-shops-registration-labour-code-small-business-relief/","estimate":false},{"id":"P27","cat":"Licences","name":"Patna municipal licence","value":"≤₹2,500/yr cap (s.342(4)); no RTPS timeline; lapse fine up to ₹1,000 + ₹100/day (s.437)","role":"HV","source":"https://calcguru.in/?p=5325","estimate":false},{"id":"P28","cat":"Rules","name":"Total liquor prohibition","value":"Sale, storage and consumption banned since Apr 2016 (Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act 2016); no bars, no liquor in hotels","role":"HV","source":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_prohibition_in_India","estimate":false},{"id":"P29","cat":"Schemes","name":"Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana","value":"₹10,000 first tranche to ~1.81 crore women; ₹20,000 second tranche from Jul 2026; up to ₹2 lakh in phases for a micro-enterprise","role":"PD","source":"https://anantamias.com/mukhyamantri-mahila-rojgar-yojana/","estimate":false},{"id":"P30","cat":"Schemes","name":"Mukhyamantri Udyami Yojana","value":"Up to ₹10 lakh (half grant, half interest-free loan) for SC/ST, EBC, women and youth entrepreneurs","role":"PD","source":"Est.: scheme terms as published 2023–25 on udyami.bihar.gov.in; 2026 round not re-verified","estimate":true},{"id":"P31","cat":"Festivals","name":"Chhath Puja demand spike","value":"13–16 Nov 2026: fruit, sugarcane, ghee, soop, clothing ×2–4 normal; shops shut on arghya days; migrant helpers return home for 1–3 weeks","role":"HV","source":"https://bankbazaar.com/indian-holiday/chhath-puja-holiday.html","estimate":false},{"id":"P32","cat":"Festivals","name":"Sonepur Mela","value":"Month-long fair from Kartik Purnima (24 Nov 2026): temporary stall income for vendors","role":"PD","source":"Est.: fair starts on Kartik Purnima every year; 2026 date from the Hindu calendar","estimate":true},{"id":"P33","cat":"Festivals","name":"Shravani Mela (Sultanganj–Deoghar kanwar route)","value":"Jul–Aug 2027: lakhs of kanwariyas on the Bhagalpur route; roadside food and water stall boom","role":"HV","source":"Est.: annual Shravan month pilgrimage; dates follow the lunar calendar","estimate":true},{"id":"P34","cat":"Climate","name":"North Bihar flood season","value":"Jul–Sep; 2026 floods hit ~49 lakh people in 15 districts; Gandak record 91.25 m at Bagaha (30 Sep 2026), embankment breaches","role":"RE","source":"https://vajiramandravi.com/current-affairs/bihar-floods-2026/","estimate":false},{"id":"P35","cat":"Climate","name":"Heatwave","value":"Apr–Jun 44–46°C; administration shortens school/market hours; street trade drops 30–50% in afternoons","role":"RE","source":"Est.: IMD heatwave seasons; trade effect reasoned from chai/street-food notes","estimate":true},{"id":"P36","cat":"Risk","name":"Migrant labour cycle","value":"Helpers leave after Chhath/Holi; 1–4 week staffing gaps and wage bids up ~10%","role":"RE","source":"Est.: Bihar is India's largest out-migration state; return travel peaks around Chhath and Holi","estimate":true},{"id":"P37","cat":"Risk","name":"Prohibition raid / seizure","value":"Shops found with liquor face confiscation of premises and arrest; low probability, high cost","role":"RE","source":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_prohibition_in_India","estimate":false},{"id":"P38","cat":"Risk","name":"LPG price shock","value":"Patna commercial LPG ₹3,100.50 is the dearest among listed metros; a +₹100–200 monthly step hits food margins first","role":"RE","source":"https://www.goodreturns.in/news/lpg-gas-cylinder-prices-hiked-october-1-2026-19-kg-commercial-lpg-prices-up-rs-62-71-50-city-wise-1538497.html","estimate":false}]}