Bihar aims to become major player in textile sector through policy support

The Bihar government is aiming to transform the state into a thriving hub for textiles by creating enabling environment through policy support and better infrastructure, a senior government official said.

The state government is making efforts to position Bihar as a crucial player in India's textile and leather industries with the overall objective of generating large-scale employment opportunities.

Officials from the Department of Industries recently visited Tamil Nadu to study the textile and leather sector, with a view to gain actionable insights and also forge strategic collaborations, the state government said in a release on Friday.

A delegation from the department visited Tiruppur, a global textile manufacturing centre, to engage with leading manufacturers and industry experts. The delegation gathered valuable insights into advanced technologies, efficient processes and best practices that have transformed Tiruppur into a global leader.

Alok Ranjan Ghosh, Director of Industries, Bihar, said the "visit to Tiruppur has equipped us with critical knowledge to replicate successful models in Bihar".

"By fostering a conducive environment through infrastructure, policy support, and incentives, we aim to transform Bihar into a thriving hub for textiles and generate large-scale employment opportunities," Ghosh added.

The delegation also visited Ranipet, Tamil Nadu, to study the operations of the zero liquid discharge (ZLD) plant.

Officials at the Ranitec Common Effluent Treatment Plant highlighted their ability to treat tannery wastewater and recycle 85 per cent of it for reuse. Such innovative practices hold promise for Bihar's emerging leather sector.

The delegation met with Selvam, Executive Director, Council of Leather Exports (CLE), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), to discuss opportunities in Bihar's leather sector.

The state government is committed to accelerate industrial growth, providing an enabling ecosystem and attracting top-tier manufacturers to the state.

To attract domestic and global investors, the state government will organise the second edition of 'Bihar Business Connect' from December 19-20, 2024 in Patna.

On November 24 in Delhi, the Bihar government's Industries Minister Nitish Mishra had said the upcoming global business summit in Patna would be a huge success and attract more investment proposals than about Rs 50,000 crore it received in the 2023 edition.

"Last year, we received investment proposals of around Rs 50,000 crore. I am very much confident that this year we will get more investment proposals," Mishra told reporters on Sunday in the national capital.

He said the upcoming investors' meet will lead to the start of a new industrial era in Bihar.

The last edition of the investor meeting in 2023 saw several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) being signed for proposed investment of Rs 50,500 crore by as many as 278 companies.

Mishra said there is a huge opportunity of investment across all major sectors, including food processing, textiles, and tourism.

"So this is a major, a big investors meet, where we would be showcasing Bihar, all our policies, and why one should be interested in or why one should invest in Bihar... We are confident that the Bihar Business Connect 2024 will be one of the biggest events which Bihar ever had," Mishra said.

To promote this event, many roadshows have been held across India, including in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ludhiana, and Kanpur.