First Advisory Committee Meeting Discusses Development Plans for Purvodaya States

Chirag Gupta

Patna: The inaugural Advisory Committee meeting for the development of Purvodaya States—including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal—was held via video conference on October 30, chaired by Ramesh Chand, Member of NITI Aayog. The Chief Secretary of Bihar and the Principal Secretary of the Planning and Development Department, along with other officials, participated in discussions addressing the region’s growth potential, challenges, and development goals as referenced in Para 29 of the Union Budget.

During the meeting, a presentation highlighted Bihar’s double-digit growth rate of 11%, surpassing the national average of 7%. The Chief Secretary emphasised the state’s achievements in infrastructure, urbanisation, and health, driven by strong policy measures. He called for additional central assistance to sustain this growth and noted that 90% of the 10,000 hectares of acquired industrial land have been allocated to various industries. He further sought support for developing 10 industrial nodes, completing road projects in Gaya, and advancing the construction of an industrial cluster there.

The Chief Secretary also urged central support for dam construction, canal restoration, and flood control measures for the Kosi, Gandak, and Son rivers. With 122,000 km of roads already constructed, the state requested special central funding to expand and maintain rural and major roads, along with additional funds for National Highway development. Bihar’s planning document, Developed Bihar@2047, is underway, seeking resources for future growth.

Additional assistance was requested to expand educational facilities, including high schools in each Gram Panchayat and 16 new medical colleges, which will improve healthcare by increasing the availability of doctors and hospital beds. Support for the Patna Metro project and additional metro services in cities like Gaya, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, and Bhagalpur was also discussed, alongside a proposal to establish new airports in Purnia and Bhagalpur.

In the fields of renewable energy, sports, and dairy production, the Chief Secretary called for investments in solar energy, support for sports infrastructure development, and the expansion of milk cooperative societies across Gram Panchayats by 2025. The meeting concluded with a focus on boosting tourism by enhancing hospitality in areas like Bodh Gaya and Rajgir, as part of Bihar’s comprehensive development strategy.