Patna: Buoyed by the overwhelming response to the Bihar Business Connect 2024 summit, the Bihar government is set to roll out special industrial zones across the state as part of its forthcoming industrial policy, currently in the final stages of formulation.
Industries Secretary Bandana Preyashi told PTI that the new zones will be strategically designed to harness the unique strengths and resources of each district. “Under the new industrial policy, special zones will be established based on the local potential of nearly every district,” she said. These zones will focus on regional agricultural produce, existing handicraft clusters, and workforce availability.
In a targeted push towards diversification and decentralization, toy and plastic product manufacturing zones are being planned for Begusarai and West Champaran, while Hajipur in Vaishali district is being explored as a dedicated pharmaceutical manufacturing hub.
“These zones will be comprehensive and tailored to specific products. Our goal is to leverage local advantages to attract sustainable investments,” Preyashi added.
The initiative follows the success of the Bihar Business Connect 2024 summit held in December, where investment proposals worth ₹1.81 lakh crore were received. The summit saw the signing of 423 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) across sectors including renewable energy, manufacturing, food processing, and urban infrastructure.
“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Bihar is poised to emerge as a key engine of economic growth in India,” said Preyashi. “We are committed to ensuring that these MoUs translate into ground-level investments within a year.”
To accelerate implementation, the state government has appointed nodal officers for every five to ten MoUs. These officers are providing end-to-end support to investors, including assistance with land acquisition, regulatory clearances, and project facilitation. The progress of each MoU is being closely tracked.
Notable investment commitments include ₹36,700 crore from Sun Petrochemicals for renewable energy projects and ₹28,000 crore from the Adani Group for a thermal power plant, cement manufacturing expansion, food processing, and logistics.
The renewable energy sector attracted the largest share of proposed investments at ₹90,734 crore. General manufacturing received 57 proposals worth ₹55,888 crore, while the food processing sector saw 70 proposals totalling ₹13,663 crore. Additionally, 142 MoUs in urban infrastructure represent a potential investment of ₹5,566 crore.
With the upcoming industrial policy aiming to promote structured, region-specific development, the state government envisions transforming Bihar into a vibrant hub of industrial growth and economic opportunity.
