India, Sept. 20 -- I have written elsewhere that the future of Bihar lies in the hands of Biharis themselves. This belief is becoming stronger. In states such as Kerala, migration is circular. Workers return with savings, skills, and new ideas. Jobs left behind are filled by others. Bihar's experience is different - that of one-way migration. Talent leaves, but rarely returns. This is now sharper than ever. Almost 73,000 workers from Bihar went abroad in 2023. Nearly one crore live in other states. Bihar bleeds human capital while its own economy stagnates. How do we build a system where Biharis go, learn, earn, and then bring back knowledge and investment? The latest fertility data show rural fertility in India has fallen to the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. In urban areas, it has been below that mark for almost two decades. The clear trend means India's window to reap the demographic dividend is narrowing fast. When fertility falls below replacement, the workforce shrinks while the share of the elderly rises. India must invest more in skilling, total factor productivity, health, and education for expansion of growth. Southern states already have very low fertility rates. Their worries now are about sustaining growth with a dwindling workforce. Bihar, on the other hand, still has a fertility rate above replacement. This gives the state an extra window of opportunity. Bihar must first strengthen its labour market. That means large-scale skills training linked to local industries. Agriculture, food processing, textiles, construction, and services can absorb many workers if training is practical and demand-based. Local entrepreneurship and small industries must be supported. Skilling must not only prepare youth for jobs but also fuel the aspiration to rise above poverty through their own effort. Second, Bihar's women must be made the centre of this transformation, with targeted programmes combining education with employable skills. This ensures a future not confined to subsistence but lifted by ambition. Skilling is not charity but the strongest form of empowerment. It gives hope, dignity, and mobility to those who need it most. Third, migration should not mean losing entitlements. Making benefits portable across states is vital. Fourth, Bihar must go beyond safety nets. Schemes such as MGNREGA give short-term support but do not create lasting growth. Social protection cannot replace skilling. The focus must shift from relief to building capacities. Fifth, Bihar must harness its remittances. At present, these funds are mostly used for consumption. If pooled into cooperatives, infrastructure, or local ventures, they can finance growth. Bihar does not lack money, it lacks imagination to use it well. Sixth, Patna cannot carry the entire state. Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur and other cities must be developed as hubs for services, education, and industry. If youth can find opportunities in Bihar's own cities, migration will slow and talent will flow back. Finally, Bihar must tap its diaspora. Biharis who have succeeded outside can bring back skills, networks, and capital. But they will only do so if Bihar offers stability, trust, and opportunity. Bihar still has a young population. It has one last window to turn its youth into wealth. The path is clear: Skill the youth, build industries, channel remittances, create new cities, and harness the diaspora. This is its opportunity to become rich before it becomes old....