Bihar set to play important role in becoming growth engine of country: Bihar Minister Nitish Mishra

Kolkata: Bihar Industries and Tourism Minister Nitish Mishra said in Kolkata that Bihar is set to play a very important role in becoming the growth engine of the country and focussed to develop textile, IT, manufacturing and tourism sectors, including the religious circuits.

"If eastern India has to become the growth engine of the country, Bihar's success story will contribute and scale up the progress of the country," the minister said. Bihar is set to roll out the red carpet for domestic and foreign investors at a mega event in December.

Mishra said Bihar has to play a very important role in becoming the growth engine of the country. Claiming Bihar has been “victim of negative perception” Mishra emphasized on efforts the state’s effort to change it.


Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) hosted Bihar Business Connect 2024, a global investors’ summit along with Kolkata Investors’ Meet on Monday evening. The investors' roadshow centred on business and investment opportunities in the state of Bihar.

"The state is getting good support from the central government. It is hardly 15-20 days since the new government at the Centre has been formed. Whatever proposals we gave, they were received very positively. I met Commerce and Petroleum Ministers,' Mishra said on Monday evening in the sidelines of a roadshow held in Kolkata.

Bihar is set to roll out the red carpet for domestic and foreign investors at a mega event in December.

Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Industries-Bihar, Sandeep Poundrik said, "Selling Bihar as an investment destination is challenging but I want to clarify that many preconceived notions are incorrect.”

Dr Rajeev Singh, Director General, Indian Chamber of Commerce, said, " What is crucially needed are more interactions, roadshows and platforms that connect with relevant companies and investors. These initiatives invite them to experience Bihar firsthand, turning them into ambassadors who will promote the state."

“If India has to become a global manufacturing hub, eastern Indian states have very high potential. We are having a major Textile Industry Investors meet in July,” the minister added.

Under the aegis of the Textile Ministry, there is a textile investment meet on July 18.
Talking about the potential p\of tourism in Bihar, Mishra told ET, “We have different tourism circuits. Bihar is seat for all religions. In the post pandemic situation, religious tourism has seen substantial growth. “Patna Sahib, Bodh Gaya, Gaya Bihar have Maner Sharif and Sitamarhi, birthplace of Ma Sita-there are varied religious tourism destinations,” Mishra said.

Bihar will host the two-day Bihar Business Connect event on December 11 and 12 in Patna. In the run upto to the event, roadshows will be held in various cities, which started with Kolkata on Monday. “We have a major Bihar Business Connect on 11-12 December. Ahead of that we are planning four-five national events in various zones. Kolkata was the first one,” Mishra said.