Bihar to offer special incentives for NRIs

The special incentives and concessions offered by Bihar will include land, electricity, roads and security at lower rates.

Bihar hopes to attract non-resident Indian (NRI) investment with special incentives and concessions that will include land, electricity, roads and security at lower rates.

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"We have held a few meetings to discuss the issue. The state government will soon finalise and announce special incentives to attract NRI investment," state Chief Secretary GS Kang said.

A high-level delegation is scheduled to showcase Bihar as an investment destination at the annual convention of the Indian Diaspora or Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held at Hyderabad January 7-9.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to lead the delegation.

"The government will make a powerful presentation (at the meet)," Kang told the agency.

Besides offering a single-window clearance system for NRI investment, Bihar will lay special focus on education, agriculture, healthcare, IT, tourism and infrastructure, a senior official said.

Nitish Kumar had earlier said a special website will be developed to keep NRIs posted about development-related issues and investment opportunities in Bihar. NRIs will also be able to post their suggestions on the site.

In 1995, then chief minister Lalu Prasad undertook a foreign trip to attract NRIs to Bihar, but it did not yield much. Since then, there has been no serious effort by the state government to woo NRIs.

A large number of NRIs who trace their roots to Bihar reside in Britain, Canada, US and the Middle East.