In a landmark move to transform its industrial landscape, the Bihar government has thrown open the doors of the Chief Secretary's office to investors. The state has launched a novel weekly forum, 'Udyog Vaarta', designed to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and fast-track investment proposals.
Direct Dialogue to Cut Red Tape
Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit inaugurated the initiative on Thursday, marking a first for Bihar's industry ecosystem. The program establishes a direct, open-house channel where entrepreneurs—from first-time founders to leaders of large enterprises—can present their plans and highlight obstacles directly to the state's top bureaucrat.
Udyog Vaarta will be held every Thursday from 11 am to 1 pm. Investors do not require prior appointments for these scheduled sessions. The inaugural meeting was held at the old secretariat, but a dedicated space has been prepared at the Vayuyaan Sangathan Nideshalay near Patna Airport for future interactions. Amrit explained that this location was chosen to save time for visitors, especially those arriving by air, who can now meet officials without battling city traffic.
A Borderless Platform for Global Investors
Emphasizing its modern and inclusive approach, the platform allows investors based abroad to participate via videoconference. During the first session, Amrit was joined by key officials including Kundan Kumar (Secretary, Industries Department), Manoj Kumar Singh (Secretary, Energy Department), and Mukul Kumar Gupta (Director, Industry Department). These officers will be permanent fixtures at the meetings, with other officials invited as needed.
The Chief Secretary personally chaired the meeting and committed to overseeing the resolution of issues raised. He assured investors that the government is ready to tweak or introduce new policies to facilitate business. The first session saw nearly a dozen participants, including two based in the United States.
Building Bihar as an Eastern Tech Hub
A significant focus emerged on technology and innovation. Several investors expressed interest in the tech sector, prompting Amrit to state a clear ambition: "We want to make Bihar a tech hub for eastern India." He also welcomed the enthusiasm of investors with roots in Bihar, expressing concern over the migration of youth for work and the desire to create local career platforms to keep families together.
Among the participants was Kislay Singh, founder of Tensor Analytics and a native of Saharsa, who traveled from Washington DC. He expressed his intent to invest in data integration with state support, seeing this as a chance to return and contribute to Bihar's development. Mahesh Kumar, CEO of Tiger Analytics, joined from California via video link and discussed the rising global demand in Artificial Intelligence (AI), offering to collaborate with the government to develop Bihar's tech ecosystem.
Other industrialists who showed keen interest included Harshvardhan Kumar (CEO, Avisys Services), Sachin Bhardwaj (brand strategist), Rajesh Kumar (Head of Corporate Affairs, Dalmia Cement), Sushil K Singh (CEO, Sealink Fire and Safety LLP), and Gitesh Vishwas of Genesis Company.
This proactive, investor-first initiative signals a renewed seriousness in Bihar's governance to attract capital and foster job creation, potentially altering the state's economic narrative.
