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Bihar stands on the threshold of transformation, and the goal is to quadruple the state's economy in the next four years, Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary said while speaking at The Economic Times' 'World Leaders Forum' on Thursday.
The Chief Minister spoke at length on various subjects, including the future direction of Bihar's development, investment prospects, infrastructure, water management, employment, education and women's empowerment. Chaudhary said Bihar is rapidly moving towards transformation with the resolve to 'Build Bihar, Believe in Bihar'. Although the state had lagged behind in the race for development for a long time due to various reasons, essential work regarding basic amenities, including roads, electricity and water, has now been largely completed. He said the government's special focus is now on industry, investment and employment, with numerous new policies formulated to create a favourable environment for investors from across the country and the world to set up industries in Bihar. The Chief Minister said the government has launched a 'Sahyog' (cooperation) programme, prioritising good governance. He said 6.42 lakh applications have been received so far, with 96 per cent already resolved. A maximum timeframe of 30 days has been set for processing each application, with provisions for strict action and automatic suspension against officials who fail to complete the task within the stipulated time or are found negligent. Chaudhary said a conducive environment for industry and investment is being created in Bihar, with special policies formulated for the semiconductor and GCC (Global Capability Centre) sectors. The government is continuously working towards providing land, electricity and necessary facilities to industries. He noted that Bihar is a densely populated state rapidly adopting technology, with a large pool of skilled and trained human resources available. The state's power availability has risen from approximately 350 MW in the past to over 10,000 MW today, while the state government is providing subsidies worth around Rs 23,000 crore to electricity consumers. On water management, the Chief Minister said North Bihar faces severe annual flooding caused by rivers originating in Nepal, affecting approximately 16 districts during the monsoon season, while several districts in South Bihar face drought conditions. The irrigated land area in Bihar has increased from 2.1 million hectares to 4.4 million hectares. He said permanent solutions to the problems of floods and droughts are being sought through better management of water from the Kosi, Gandak, Ganga and other rivers. The Chief Minister said he met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and urged her to formulate an action plan for irrigation projects, including the Kosi-Mechi link, and management of water from rivers flowing from Nepal. Highlighting the issue of the Farakka Barrage, he said Bihar should have the right to utilise Ganga river water throughout the year to address drinking water and irrigation challenges. Work is underway on a proposal to link the Son River with the Phalgu River, which will alleviate drinking water and irrigation issues in South Bihar. The government's goal is to transform the Kosi River from a 'curse' into a 'boon'. The Chief Minister said the Kosi and Gandak are two major rivers of North Bihar and plans are underway to develop an integrated four-lane road and industrial corridor along the banks of the Ganga, Gandak and Kosi rivers. Industrial corridors, educational hubs, institutional hubs and large townships will be developed along the banks of the Ganga and Gandak. Efforts are being made to move Bihar beyond an agriculture-based economy and link it with sectors such as industry, education, tourism, transport and waterways. Work is also in progress to explore the possibility of establishing a water transport link from Haldia to Birpur, connecting the Indo-Nepal region. Chaudhary noted that Bihar is a densely populated state and the capital, Patna, is home to one of Asia's largest residential colonies. The government is working on a plan to develop 12 townships across approximately 3.5 lakh acres of land, equipped with modern amenities. He mentioned that prior to the last Assembly elections, a target was set to provide 10 lakh jobs and 10 lakh employment opportunities in the state. By the time of the 2025 elections, government jobs and employment opportunities had been provided to 53 lakh people. Now, a target has been set to provide jobs and employment to one crore people over the next five years, in line with the 'Lakhpati Didi' resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)
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