Patna, July 25: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary on Saturday unveiled an ambitious infrastructure and industrial development roadmap, announcing plans for nine new airports, international status for Darbhanga and Purnia airports, industrial corridors, new townships and major manufacturing projects aimed at accelerating economic growth and generating large-scale employment across the state.
The announcements were made during a state-level programme in Patna, where the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 2,476 development projects worth ₹11,461 crore.
Addressing the gathering, Chaudhary said the government’s next priority was to strengthen Bihar’s industrial ecosystem by establishing industries in every district and creating employment opportunities for the youth.
“The government’s next priority is to establish industries in every district of Bihar and generate large-scale employment,” he said.
As part of the industrial expansion plan, the Chief Minister announced that a steel plant modelled on the Bokaro Steel Plant would be established in the Integrated Manufacturing Cluster (IMC) area of Gaya. He also announced the development of an electronics park at Rajapakad, expected to attract investments of ₹20,000-30,000 crore and generate around one lakh jobs.
“A steel plant on the lines of Bokaro Steel Plant will be established in the IMC area of Gaya,” Chaudhary said.
To strengthen Bihar’s agricultural economy, the Chief Minister said the state would establish 25 new sugar mills over the next five years to boost the sugarcane sector, improve marketing opportunities for farmers and create employment in rural areas.
“Twenty-five new sugar mills will be opened over the next five years to strengthen the sugarcane industry and benefit farmers,” he said.
Chaudhary also announced plans to develop industrial corridors along the Kosi and Gandak rivers, along with new townships on the banks of the Ganga, Gandak and Kosi rivers to promote balanced regional development. He said the government would prepare a comprehensive master plan to address the recurring floods caused by rivers originating in Nepal and minimise flood-related losses.
“Industrial corridors and new townships will be developed along the Ganga, Gandak and Kosi rivers to accelerate development,” the Chief Minister said.
On the aviation front, Chaudhary said Darbhanga Airport would be upgraded to an international airport and is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November. He added that Purnia Airport would also be developed as an international airport under a ₹206 crore project approved by the government.
“Darbhanga Airport will be upgraded to an international airport and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November, while Purnia Airport will also be developed as an international airport,” he said.
The Chief Minister further announced plans to expand Bihar’s aviation network with the development of nine new airports. Work will begin on airports at Sonpur and Ajaibinath Sultanganj in Bhagalpur, followed by new facilities at Virpur, Saharsa, Forbesganj, Kishanganj, Valmikinagar, Muzaffarpur and Gopalganj.
The government said the proposed projects are aimed at improving connectivity, attracting investments, promoting industrialisation and creating new employment opportunities, while positioning Bihar as a major economic and logistics hub in eastern India.
