Nitish cabinet rolls out agenda: 25 sugar mills, tech hub and 1-cr jobs

The cabinet also gave its nod to the inaugural session of the newly-elected assembly from December 1.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar chaired his first cabinet meeting on Tuesday and approved 10 key agendas, focused on industrial revival, technological advancement, and one crore jobs to youth, aiming to transform Bihar.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar inspects an industrial unit a day before the first meeting of his new cabinet. (@NitishKumar/X)

The cabinet also gave its nod to the inaugural session of the newly-elected assembly from December 1. During this session, newly-elected members will be administered the oath by pro-tem speaker Narendra Narayan Yadav, followed by CM Nitish Kumar seeking a vote of confidence from the House.

Briefing the news persons after the meeting, chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit said that the focus of the cabinet deliberations were on boosting agro-industrial revival bid of the government and creating jobs for the youths. “The government approved the proposal for establishing 25 new sugar mills across the state. This comes alongside plans to revive nine existing mills that have remained shuttered,” he said..

Urban development also took center stage, with the cabinet green-lighting the creation of 11 new townships. These will include nine divisional headquarters, along with Sitamarhi and Sonepur, to modernize infrastructure and enhance livability in key areas.

In a bid to position Bihar as the new technology hub of eastern India, the cabinet outlined ambitious projects including a defence corridor, semiconductor manufacturing park, global capability centres, a mega tech city and a fintech city. To oversee these, a high-level committee chaired by the chief secretary will be formed, incorporating national and international experts as consultants. The panel is tasked with submitting a comprehensive report within six months.

Further emphasising innovation, the government approved the establishment of the Bihar Artificial Intelligence Mission. This initiative aims to make Bihar a front-runner in AI by collaborating with talented individuals and companies, leveraging new technologies to beautify major cities and drive overall progress.

The cabinet also set its sights on building a “new age economy” rooted in technology and service-based innovations. Plans include soliciting suggestions from prominent Bihar-connected entrepreneurs to shape policies and programs. Additionally, a detailed action plan will be prepared in collaboration with key departments, renowned economists, and experts to establish Bihar as a “global back-end hub” and “global workplace.”

Employment for the youth emerged as a core priority, aligning with the state’s demographic strengths. “Bihar has a significant youth population, and channeling this resource effectively can make us the fastest-developing state in the country,” Amrit stated, echoing the government’s vision. Under the Saat Nischay-2 program, 50 lakh young people were provided government jobs and employment opportunities between 2020 and 2025. Building on this, the new target is to generate 1 crore such opportunities over the next five years (2025-2030).

The meeting underscored the new government’s commitment to accelerating industrialization, which has gained momentum in recent years. With essentials like industrial corridors, high-quality infrastructure, reliable power supply, water management, and skilled manpower now in place, Bihar is poised for large-scale industrial growth. “We have started work with double the vigour, and whatever we begin, we ensure it is completed,” Amrit affirmed, highlighting the administration’s resolve.

This first cabinet session under Nitish Kumar’s latest term reflects a blend of continuity and ambition, building on past achievements while addressing Bihar’s evolving needs in technology, industry and youth empowerment. As the state legislature convenes next week, all eyes will be on the vote of confidence and the rollout of these transformative plans.