Patna, Bihar’s Energy Minister, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, made a significant announcement on Monday, shedding light on the state government’s proactive approach to attract investments in the power sector. Speaking at the ‘Bihar Roundtable for Electrical Power Transmission & Distribution and Renewable Energy Equipment Manufacturing Industry,’ Minister Yadav outlined the comprehensive set of investor-friendly policies designed to foster growth in the power industry.
The roundtable, a collaborative effort between the industries and energy departments, sought to create an environment conducive to investments in both power and renewable energy sectors. Providing a warm welcome to the delegates, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) Sandeep Poundrik emphasized Bihar’s remarkable growth, citing it as the third-highest Gross State Domestic Product (GSDT) growth rate during the fiscal year 2021-2022.
Poundrik underscored the three fundamental prerequisites for establishing industries – land, water, and electricity, asserting that Bihar possesses an abundance of all three. He highlighted the availability of 3,000 acres of industrial land, 24 lakh square feet of plug & play facilities at affordable monthly rentals, 75 industrial areas with robust water and power supply, and 1,176 functional units on Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) land.
Principal Secretary (Energy) and CMD of Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited (BSPHCL), Sanjeev Hans, provided a detailed overview of the major reforms in the power sector. Under the guidance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Energy Minister Yadav, Bihar has developed a robust power infrastructure capable of supplying over 7,000 MW. Notably, urban areas now receive 23.5 hours of electricity, while industries enjoy an uninterrupted 24-hour supply through dedicated feeders.
Hans assured the attending delegates of substantial growth opportunities in the power sector over the next decade. He specifically highlighted areas such as the manufacturing of electrical transformers, low-tension cables, metering transformers, and transformer oil, estimating investment opportunities exceeding Rs 9,000 crore in power equipment procurement.
The event witnessed the presence of key figures such as Director (Industries) Pankaj Dixit, Managing Directors of South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited and North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited – Mahendra Kumar and Dr. Aditya Prakash, respectively, alongside other senior officials.
