The Bihar government is making an all-out push to generate employment and boost industries in the state to enter the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the subsequent 2025 Assembly elections on a firmer footing.
Bihar industries minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said efforts are on in full swing to ensure more investment comes to Bihar and industries make the state their base, which in turn will help plug employment-related migration from the state.
“Employment has been an issue in every election. We saw the Covid-19 lockdown and how migrants had to leave their respective jobs and come back home. That labor from Bihar should not have to leave homes and should get employment here. We have worked on many projects that are in the pipeline,” said Hussain.
Speaking to News18.com, Hussain said major push in industries is the focus as it will aid in changing the image of the state, from being the state of goons and mafias becoming the state of production and employment.
Talking about the first greenfield grain-based ethanol plant recently inaugurated in Purnea, Hussain said 16 more will be established in the first phase within a year.
“Total production can go up to 36 crore liters. We want that whenever industries want to switch to ethanol, Bihar should be able to fulfill the demand,” said the minister.
He added that the state has produced 35 lakh metric tonnes of corn which will be used in making ethanol and said the state will ensure that the corn crop stays in the state and is bought by industries operating in Bihar.
Hussain said his ministry is working to ensure that whenever flex fuel engines become popular as has been talked about by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Bihar is the first to supply green energy.
Ethanol is not the only product Hussain’s ministry is working on to make Bihar self-sufficient in employment.
“We have secured the project of mega food park from the agricultural ministry, the state has made its bid for textile park, a leather park will be made in Kishanganj and Gaya will get a logistics park soon,” said the minister.
The minister said Bihar will host an investor summit on May 12 in the national capital.
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