15% industrial units in Bihar are either dead or missing

Despite all the promises of industrial turnaround of the state, almost 15 per cent of the total registered industrial units in Bihar are either dead or missing. The state government has also failed to rehabilitate sick industrial units.

"There are 1.52 lakh registered industrial units in Bihar," Giriraj Singh, minister in charge of the Industries Department, told on Monday in state assembly, "Out of these 20,635 units are either dead or missing. We do not have any information about them."

He was replying on a starred question about the sick units in the state. Singh added, "We have been trying very hard for the revival of sick units. So far the state government has been able to identify 162 sick units in the state. But only 5 units have been chosen for the revival process."

However, if the industries department sources are to be believed, the fate of these 5 units is also hanging in balance. Lack of commitment on the part of bankers and promoters is said to be the possible cause of the slow rate of revival.

The state government has promised a quick revival of sick units in its first installment of New Industrial Policy, which came into effect in 2006.

However, during the last seven years, it has failed in rehabilitating even one sick unit. Industries Department has blamed the banks for the sickness of industries. According to the Industries Minister Renu Kushwaha, the banks take no interest in providing loans to the industrialists of the state and therefore entrepreneurs are forced to close their shops.

However, the banks blame that the promoters of the viable sick units never approach them for loans.