Last month, Nitish Kumar returned as Bihar’s Chief Minister after the NDA won Assembly elections. Analysts praised the state's gains in roads, piped water, drains, electricity, and women's empowerment. But Bihar’s infrastructure improvements and women’s progress now face challenges. Between 2011 and 2020, rural piped water access rose from almost zero to nearly 30% of households. Drainage and other small works also improved. This was possible due to Panchayati Raj institutions, especially ward members who directly managed projects. Bihar’s Gram Panchayats are large, with about 12,000 people each. In 2016, Bihar gave ward members—each representing around 1,000 people—about ₹20 lakh to handle water and drainage projects. Before this, the mukhiya had this power. Ward members, many political newcomers, faced local disputes but worked hard. This gave them strong local support. From 2016 to 2021, ward candidates almost doubled, while mukhiya contests fell by 20%. However, in May 2023, a rule change stripped ward members of financial powers. Concerns about corruption moved project control to the Public Health Engineering Department, whose staff do not live locally. Thousands of ward bank accounts are now unused, frustrating ward members. This change stalled the growth of piped water connections. Even mukhiyas say they have less control under bureaucratic rules. Other services like waste collection and street lighting also show similar issues. Women’s empowerment in Bihar also faces weaknesses. Though there is 50% reservation for women in panchayats, many women remain proxies for male relatives. True empowerment needs support for over 55,000 women ward members—those now losing financial authority. Bihar’s Jeevika self-help groups still succeed. But schemes like the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, costing ₹15,600 crore, rely on one-time cash transfers. These drain funds from health, education, and infrastructure. Direct transfers skipping panchayats weaken local democracy. Bihar has great untapped potential. Unlocking it requires trusting and empowering local representatives again.