After the August 8 agreement on the federal set-up, citizens of the proposed State 2 are dissatisfied at the lack of natural resources in the province.

Experts say they are worried about the weakened inter-cultural collaboration and diminished potential in the state comprising eight Tarai districts.

All the districts in the province—Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha and Saptari—are linked with the Indian territory.

There are 48 constituencies spread over 9,661 square kilometres. Of the around 5 million people in the state, nearly 80 percent are Madhesis. While about 10 percent of

the residents are of Hill

origin, 11.57 percent are Muslims.

According to Census 2011, the percentage of the Tharus is 11.5 and 10.5 in Saptari and Bara districts, respectively.

In Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari and Sarlahi,

Yadavs haze sizeable populations. There are 6.3 percent Mushahars in Siraha

and 8.4 percent Kurmis

in Parsa district. The population of Muslims is higher in Parsa, Bara and Rautahat than in other provinces.

The proposed Second International Airport in Nijgadh and Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track are the

rays of hope for the people here. Though the state reflects the single identity of Madhesis, it may face problems in creating an inclusive society.

Nepali Congress Mahasamiti member Rakesh Singh said the state ranks low in economic viability compared to others. A Madhes province is unimaginable without the Chure (shivalik) hills to north, he added.

“Makwanpur, Sindhuli and Udaypur districts should be incorporated to create an inclusive society. The state cannot be developed only

by selling flowers and

sweets at Janaki Mandir,” said Singh.

There are 812 industries in the Birgunj-Pathlaiya Industrial Corridor, Rajbiraj, Janakpur and some other areas. The state does not generate electricity, which it will have to buy from elsewhere. Though the province has the country’s largest revenue earner customs office in Birgunj, it is not sure whether the other states will continue their foreign trade through the port. Other states could import goods through their own borders as the remaining five have links with India.

The state has several trade centres, historical institutions and airports. Janaki Mandir, Simraungadh, Jaleshwor, Chhinamasta and Gadhimai are the famous

religious places in the

state. Political analyst Chandrakishor said the agricultural yield has been declining each year in the stretch from Parsa to Saptari. The state faces a severe drought this year.

According to the Human Development Index-2015, the level of poverty has increased in all the eight districts. Prof Abadesh Kumar Jha said people in the plains are poor and backward. “Madhesi people cannot demand services and facilities from the government,” he said.

Indushekhar Mishra, chief of the Economics Department at Thakurram Multiple Campus, said the human resource remains underutilised in the state. Most of the large number of youths are in foreign employment. Kedar Sah, former chief of the TMC, urged the political parties to incorporate some hilly districts in the state. With a porous border with India’s Bihar, cross-border crime

and security threats are rife in the region.

Meanwhile, some youth leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have demanded a Bhojpuri

State with Birgunj as the capital. Madhes analyst Chandrakishor said ethnic politics will be dominant in the province. “There’s a threat that the youths might be frustrated at the lack of resources,” he said.