Bodh Gaya's Economy

The most popular destination of Buddhist pilgrimage is found in one of India's poorest state (Bihar), the visitors are stunned by the extreme poverty of the place. Because of this Bodh Gaya has developed a charity "industry" that depends on tourist and tourism. The local people live in a seasonal economy that depends almost entirely on foreign tourist. Bihar had a national reputation for corruption, prone to outbreaks of violence, high rates of illiteracy, poverty and child mortality.

Economy’s unstable source gives local residents only temporary work, time in Bodh Gaya is measured by the coming and going of foreign, for the winter months there are tourist, and therefore work, the rest of the year is noticeable by unemployment. And even in good season most of the money go outside the place because of many foreign-owned and foreign-operated hotels and monasteries like all-inclusive resorts that monopolize the tourism services. In addition of this survival challenge for Bodh Gaya’s residents, monasteries inflate the real-estate values, so, when farmlands become monasteries, farmers must find a new income.

In search of r a better life and maintainable work, the local businessmen have started charity schools for destitute children; these schools are entirely supported by donations.

Besides the tourism and pilgrimage as a source of economic livelihood for local residents, the role of State tourism development and urban planning it’s very important. In 2002 the temple marking the site of Buddha’s Enlightenment was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Bihar State government has search for intensify international tourism to Bodh Gaya as a resource to ameliorate Bihar’s underdevelopment. 

The foremost government project, the City Development Plan for Bodhgaya , was an urban renewal and development plan that envisioned transforming Bodhgaya into something of a Buddhist theme park over a fifty year period, and was developed by a committee of non-local Indian businessmen, government officials from the central and state governments, foreign development experts, and Buddhist monks and ambassadors from Thailand, Myanmar, Tibet, Japan, and Sri Lanka. This project involved the forced removal of villages, the destruction by paramilitary and police of homes and long-standing local businesses, and the removal of street vendors, all of which were met by vigorous protests. (http://udini.proquest.com/view/translating-desires-in-bodhgaya-pqid:2443885441/)

But this government's plan go againts the buddhist beliefs.