1 week ago
Bihar pitches investment surge before Rs 5 lakh crore deadline
Bihar wants companies to invest Rs 5 lakh crore in the state by November.
Industries Minister Shreyasi Singh says the target may be reached or even exceeded.
The government says it is making it easier for businesses to get approvals and find land.
It has leased ready-to-use factory space in several districts.
Officials say renewable energy, ethanol, food processing, steel, garments and leather are attracting investment.
A proposed ethanol plant in Jamui would be one of the largest in Asia.
The government is also buying land and borrowing money to build industrial infrastructure.
Bihar says it has 1,653 registered startups, including many led by women.
Industries Minister Shreyasi Singh says Bihar is on course to meet or exceed its Rs 5 lakh crore investment target by November.
The state is pursuing investment through governance reforms, grassroots entrepreneurship and industrial areas in every district.
Proposed investments recorded by September 2025 totaled Rs 1.11 lakh crore, led by renewable energy, ethanol and food processing.
Bihar is acquiring land, taking a Rs 25,000-crore loan for infrastructure and expanding ready-to-use industrial sheds.
The state reports 1,653 registered startups, including 241 led by women, and investment interest in steel, garments, leather and other sectors.
- Who
- Bihar Industries Minister Shreyasi Singh and the Bihar government are promoting investment in the state.
- What
- The government is pursuing a Rs 5 lakh crore investment target and says it may exceed it.
- Where
- Across Bihar, including Jamui, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Madhubani, Bhagalpur and West Champaran.
- When
- The target is set for November; proposed investment figures cited in the interview run through September 2025.
- Why
- The government aims to attract businesses by reducing bureaucratic delays, providing land and industrial infrastructure, and promoting sectors such as ethanol, garments, leather and food processing.
Government’s investment case
Investor concerns and constraints
Bihar’s business environment
Government’s investment case
The government says Bihar has moved beyond its former reputation as a difficult investment destination and has reduced bureaucratic hurdles through facilitation and single-window clearances.
Investor concerns and constraints
The minister acknowledges that investors remain inhibited by Bihar’s earlier reputation, particularly its image as a troubled state during the 1990s.
Land and infrastructure
Government’s investment case
Officials say land acquisition is underway, a district-level land bank is being expanded, and ready-to-work industrial sheds are being leased to investors.
Investor concerns and constraints
The interview identifies land acquisition and the cost of preparing land as challenges, with farmers often receiving four times the circle rate and the state relying partly on a Rs 25,000-crore loan.
Industrial potential
Government’s investment case
The government points to investments in steel, cement, renewable energy, ethanol, food processing, electronics, garments and leather as evidence of Bihar’s changing investment profile.
Investor concerns and constraints
A general critique cited in the interview is that Bihar lacks sufficient local raw materials to attract industry, a concern the minister disputes by pointing to newer investment patterns and emerging sectors.
Key facts
- Investment target
- Rs 5 lakh crore by November, according to the chief minister's target cited in the interview.
- Proposed investments by September 2025
- Rs 1.11 lakh crore, according to State Investment Promotion Board records cited by the state Industries Department.
- Largest cited sectors
- Renewable energy: Rs 38,644 crore; ethanol: Rs 30,748 crore; food processing: Rs 20,153 crore.
- Infrastructure financing
- The state is taking a Rs 25,000-crore loan to build infrastructure on acquired land.
- Ready-to-use industrial space
- Approximately 31 lakh square feet has been leased to businesses and startups.
- Land acquisition
- Acquisition of 14,600 acres is underway, with 2,247 acres of Bettiah Raj forest land also planned for use.
- Startups
- Bihar reports 1,653 registered startups, including 241 women-led startups.
Quotes
Shreyasi Singh
Bihar Industries Minister and Jamui BJP MLA
“It is true that Bihar has been treated as “badlands”, more so during the 1990s.”
indianexpress.com
“It is poetic justice — for Jamui and Bihar.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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