Bihar will open its stall at the world’s biggest industrial fair at Hannover in Germany beginning from April 13. The State’s industries department is sending a four-member delegation to the fair called Hannover Messe, which will be inaugurated jointly by Prime Minster Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. This was announced by Bihar Industries Minister Shyam Rajak on Wednesday. He said the State delegation includes principal secretary of industries department, Managing Director of Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority, Director industries and development commissioner.
The Bihar chapter of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) had approached State Government to participate in this world fair. The Bihar stalls will showcase its food process sector and other schemes to attract the foreign investment. The proposal had got clearance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Earlier in 2013, then industries minister Renu Kumari led a Bihar delegation to attend a five day food industry fair at Cologne in Germany. Even though Bihar hardly has any industrial activity, the State has started producing half boiled rice and exporting it to Gulf countries from Raxaul in north Bihar where several industrial units are producing this variety of rice. This rice is highly favoured for cooking biryani, said Rajak who also claimed that very soon his department will implement single window system to facilitate the entrepreneurs.
Replying to the debate on the budgetary demand of industries department for Rs789.50 crore in the state Assembly, Rajak said, “Our government is keen in attracting small private investments and to create cluster of industries. Three such clusters are coming up at Mokama, Kaimur and Chhapra.” He said the Government is also promoting their produce and recently the health department has ordered purchase of 6 lakh set of bed sheets of seven colours for use in the hospitals. The Government hospitals have been directed to change bed sheets daily and use different colour every day.