Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has announced that an architecture university named after Shaheed Jubba Sahni will be established in Muzaffarpur, while inaugurating a Rs 140 crore leather, footwear and accessories cluster at the Mahal industrial area in Motipur block. The announcements formed part of the state government’s wider push to expand local employment, manufacturing and industrial infrastructure.
The cluster includes a common facility centre and is intended to support industrial growth and create jobs in Bihar. During the programme, industrial units were handed sheds and land allotment letters. The industries department also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Footwear Design and Development Institute to promote skill development and strengthen the footwear sector.
Choudhary said around 12 lakh people from Bihar travel outside the state for work. The government’s objective, he said, was to create more employment within Bihar by expanding the industrial network, promoting micro, small and medium enterprises and attracting heavy industries.
“The government’s priority is not merely to receive industrial proposals but to ensure that factories are actually established in Bihar, creating jobs for local people,” Choudhary said while inviting entrepreneurs to invest in the state. He added that investor proposals would be examined and sector-specific policies introduced within 30 days wherever required.
The chief minister also said the government was planning industrial clusters in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga, while an integrated manufacturing cluster was being developed in Gaya. Better connectivity and dry-port-like facilities in Muzaffarpur, he said, would help local businesses reach domestic and international markets.
Land availability was also discussed as a condition for industrial expansion. Choudhary directed the district administration to ensure that land was made available to industries on time. Under the existing policy, entrepreneurs who voluntarily provide land for industrial projects would receive compensation 10% above the prescribed amount, he said.
The government is also pursuing plans for rapid rail connectivity between Muzaffarpur and Patna and between Patna and Gaya. The proposed Muzaffarpur-Patna link could reduce travel time to 30-40 minutes, while the Patna-Gaya connection could bring the journey down to around one to one-and-a-half hours. The source report did not provide a construction or commissioning timeline for either link.
Choudhary said Bihar’s electricity supply had increased from less than 500 MW in the past to around 10,000 MW at present. The government aims to provide about 10,000 MW of electricity to the industrial sector over the next five years, he said.
The state is also targeting data centres with a combined capacity of 1,000 MW by 2030, which the chief minister said could attract investments of around Rs 10 lakh crore. A 12 MW data centre established by CtrlS has already been launched in Patna, according to his statement.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Industries Minister Shreyasi Singh, other ministers, legislators, senior officials and entrepreneurs attended the programme. The next steps include implementing the announced industrial, skills and connectivity initiatives and processing land and policy requirements for prospective investors.
