Bihar is also in a massive drive towards industrial growth as it is planning to put up 25 new sugar mills within the state. At the same time, it is considering options of putting up a semiconductor manufacturing facility, Minister Dilip Jaiswal announced on Monday. The two initiatives echo the approach of the government, which is to boost the conventional agro-based sectors as it opens high-tech manufacturing.
The proposal of the new sugar mills is intended to revive the lost sugar industry of Bihar, as pointed out by Minister Jaiswal. The state, with its large sugarcane farming, had seen the closure of a number of mills in the past few decades because of the old infrastructure and loss of money. Bihar can be re-established as a great sugar producer. By installing 25 new mills, he said, it will not only increase the output but also enshrine greater income security among the lakhs of sugarcane growers.
The authorities have already started the process of establishing appropriate districts that have high sugarcane production so that the mills that will be put in place are found in areas near the farming groupings. It is likely to create a lot of employment in rural areas, enhance the procurement processes and also decrease wastage due to delays in transportation. It is also the wish of the government that the industry will be sustainable in the long run, owing to modern machinery and involvement of the private sector.
Similarly, Minister Jaiswal disclosed that Bihar is also striving to lure investment to set up a semiconductor fabrication unit that will put the state on the national technology map. Semiconductors are also key elements in electronics, and India has been making faster strides in establishing chip production facilities in the context of the Make in India and the Digital India initiatives.
Although the talks with the prospective investors are still infantile, the minister pointed out that the government is considering the availability of land, power infrastructure and technical manpower. It is a complex and costly undertaking to install a semiconductor plant. However, Bihar is determined to take the chance, because it will generate thousands of experienced jobs and introduce the state to a high-tech world, he observed.
According to the analysts in the industry, there are traditional and futuristic projects, which signify the changing outlook towards the economy of Bihar. The sugar industry would be revived and serve to boost the rural economy, besides a semiconductor plant, which would diversify the industrial base of the state and create international interest.
Provided that the two plans are implemented, Bihar will be able to see a revolutionary change in the industrial sector, making it a balance between the agricultural-driven developments and the future of the state, high-tech manufacturing.
