Cool Bihari: Bihar Diary

The momentum to improve the infrastructure, investment and trade opportunities are gaining momentum in the last few weeks. The state is going will hold a major meet early in 2007 to woo investors.

Non-resident Indians (NRIs) from the state are expected to participate in the meet which intends to repackage Bihar as a favourable investment destination.

The meet, being jointly organised by bihartimes.com, which is a Patna-based news portal, New Delhi-based Institute of Human Development and the government, is likely to be held in January 2007 in the state capital. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi are keen on hosting the meet. Modi organized a high-level meet on Wednesday to work out the details.

Modi, who visited Britain, Italy and Canada to market Bihar as a favorable investment destination two months ago, has proposed to form an NRI cell to facilitate investments.The government also plans to set up a corpus fund with contributions from NRIs for development. In August, dozens of NRIs from Bihar assembled at New Delhi to organise resources for the big event.

It’s also believed that the chairperson of the recently constituted Investment Commission and nation's eminent industrialist Ratan Tata will be visiting Patna on September 21 to study investment climate under the Nitish government while also trying to instill confidence among potential investors who may still be leery of putting their money in the state.Tata will be accompanied by the Commission member S. K. Ganguly, reports said.Soon after Ratan Tata's visit, Anand Mahindra, the chairperson of the Mahindra Group and also the chairperson of Max Hospital Group would be visiting Patna on September 25 where they will hold meetings with top government officials, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Patna Development plan worth Rs 3,500 crore has has been drawn up to revamp the drainage, sewerage, drinking water, power and roads sector in the state capital. Of this, the Patna Municipal Corporation and Bihar Rajya Jal Parshad have already prepared a detailed project report worth Rs 1,600 crore. PMC commissioner Atul Prasad said the project duration is for seven years. A year has already passed. By the time the required clearances are obtained, this year will end. "So effectively we will be left with five years to implement the project," he said.

Prasad said about 50 per cent of the funds will be provided by the Union government under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Modernisation Mission. The remaining 50 per cent will be given by the state government.The plan aims at improving the power, roads, beautification, drainage and other civic facilities for the City.

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