Patna, June 12 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced an ambitious target of attracting investments worth nearly Rs 5 lakh crore to Bihar by November 20, 2026, while also unveiling plans for rapid rail connectivity linking key cities such as Gaya, Rajgir and Muzaffarpur within approximately 40 minutes.

Speaking at the 12 Years of Trust, Development and Public Welfare media interaction organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party to mark 12 years of the Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Choudhary highlighted the NDA government’s development agenda and infrastructure expansion across the state.

He stated that Bihar is rapidly emerging as an attractive destination for investors, with projects related to cement manufacturing, beverage production and data centres progressing at a fast pace.

To accelerate industrial approvals, the government has fixed a 30-day deadline for granting permissions, after which approvals will reportedly be issued automatically.

The Chief Minister also emphasised the expansion of road, electricity, rail and aviation infrastructure in the state.

Following airport development projects in Darbhanga and Purnea, work is underway on additional airports, airstrips and helipad facilities.

He said the proposed rapid rail corridor connecting Rajgir, Gaya and Muzaffarpur is being pursued seriously as part of efforts to modernise transport infrastructure.

On governance and public service delivery, Choudhary reiterated a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.

Referring to the government’s “Sahyog” initiative, he said citizens can file grievances online and that complaints must be resolved within 30 days, failing which action would be initiated against the officials concerned.

He further explained that the “Sahyog” mechanism functions through a fixed timeline. If work is not completed within 10 days, an automatic notice is issued on the 11th day, followed by another notice on the 21st day.

According to him, the objective is to create a citizen-centric administrative system where public services are delivered transparently and within defined timelines.

During the interaction, Choudhary also addressed the issue of reservation policies.

He claimed that reservation benefits now extend across nearly all sections of society except economically affluent groups.

He highlighted that the PM Modi-led government granted constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes and said the “creamy layer” principle applies to both backward classes and upper-caste economically weaker sections.

He stated that individuals from OBC categories earning more than Rs 8 lakh annually are excluded from reservation benefits under the creamy layer criterion, while a similar income threshold also applies to economically weaker sections among upper castes.

–IANS

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