Bihar will play a pivotal role in positioning India as global food basket: Paswan

Patna, Maintaining that the vision of a 'viksit Bihar' is inseparable from 'viksit Bharat', Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Monday said the state's fertile land and entrepreneurial spirit will play a pivotal role in positioning India as a global food basket.
The Union Minister of Food Processing Industries said this while inaugurating the two-day 'International Buyer Seller Meet ' here.
This 'International Buyer Seller Meet' is not just a trade event, it is a turning point for rural prosperity, he said.
Reflecting on Bihar's rich civilisation, Paswan highlighted its historic leadership in shaping the nation.
"Being the land of Aryabhatta, Sita Mata, Chanakya, Lord Mahavira and Lord Buddha — Bihar has always shown the way. That same potential will now power the growth of food processing sector in the state. We envision Bihar's youth to become job creators, not job seekers. We will ensure every investor is fully facilitated by the government," said the union minister.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries in partnership with Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority , Trade Promotion Council of India , and Government of Bihar, is organising the meet. The event aims to bring together key stakeholders from food and allied sectors to promote trade, strengthen exports, and unlock Bihar's agri-food potential.
Paswan stated that in the financial year 2024–25, the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries has sanctioned a record 10,270 loans worth ₹624.42 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises scheme to micro food processing units in Bihar—the highest for any state in the country.
He said that this is not a mere coincidence, but the result of the government's focused push to translate the vision of viksit Bihar into ground-level impact. It reflects both the ministry's resolve to strengthen rural enterprise and the resounding trust that Bihar's micro-entrepreneurs have placed in the policies of the government, Paswan added.
Drawing a parallel with the ancient glory of Nalanda, where scholars from across the world once came in pursuit of knowledge, he remarked that the newly announced National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar will carry forward that legacy. "From being the land of wisdom to becoming a hub of innovation in food, Bihar is once again ready to lead," he said.
The Union minister also launched a strategic report titled "Strategies to Boost India's Makhana Exports", underscoring Bihar's leadership in this unique GI-tagged product.
Speaking on the occasion, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha highlighted the role of the food processing industry in enhancing farmers income. He also informed the gathering about the launch of the Bihar Krishi App, a dedicated platform to provide farmers with essential support and information. The DyCM invited investors to positively consider the state as a promising and future-ready investment destination.
Bihar Industries Minister Nitish Mishra said, "Bihar has the potential to become the growth engine of East India". He mentioned the presence of a Government of India-approved Mega Food Park at Muzaffarpur and encouraged investors to leverage Bihar's industrial infrastructure. He mentioned the state's investor-ready ecosystem and the proactive allotment of land within seven days through the Single Window Clearance System.
Significantly, 12 companies announced procurement commitments for rice, pulses, spices, fruits, vegetables, and makhana from Bihar, marking a breakthrough in long-term sourcing partnerships with countries.
Seventy international buyers representing 20 countries, including six global retail chains, alongside 50 domestic and 20 institutional buyers, are attending the meet.
The meet witnessed interest from global players like LuLu Group , SARTAJ , Datar & Sons and Global Foods Trading , who are exploring large-scale procurement of rice, spices, makhana, and fruits from Bihar.
Companies such as Royal Golden Trading and UVR Natural Foods have also announced concrete sourcing plans, reaffirming Bihar's emergence as a trusted sourcing hub under the proactive efforts of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, said the statement issued by the state Industries department.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

New Indian Express

28 minutes ago

• New Indian Express

Railway properties exempt from state taxes even if commercially used: Madras HC

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ruled that Union government properties are exempt from state taxes even if used commercially, setting aside Madurai corporation's property tax demand on a commercial complex at Madurai railway junction. The court noted the land belongs to the Southern Railway and remains Union property throughout the lease, even though it was sublet to a private firm. The property, along with the building, will return to the railways after the lease period. A bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and M Jothiraman, which passed the order, noted that the parcel of land, where the complex is situated, belongs to Southern Railway and was leased out by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) to Ircon Infrastructure & Services Limited - which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Union Ministry of Railways - to develop the land for commercial use. The latter, in turn, had constructed a building and sublet the land to the appellant company, Madurai Multi Functional Complex Private Limited (MMFC), for 30 years. The Madurai corporation assessed the building for property tax and issued a demand notice in March 2018 calling upon the MMFC to pay half-yearly property tax to the tune of Rs 10.07 lakh. When the same was challenged by the MMFC, the petition was dismissed by a single bench in 2020, considering the facts that the building was constructed by Ircon infrastructure and then leased out to the MMFC and is being put to commercial use.

India Gazette

31 minutes ago

• India Gazette

Operation Sindhu: India to operate 3 more evacuation flights from Iran; 162 Indians in Jordan to return soon

New Delhi [India], June 23 (ANI): The Indian government has scheduled three additional evacuation flights from Iran over the next two to three days as part of its ongoing Operation Sindhu, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita said on Sunday. Speaking to reporters after receiving a new batch of 285 Indian nationals evacuated from the conflict-hit Iran at the Delhi Airport, Margherita said that 162 Indian nationals who had crossed into Jordan from Israel would be repatriated 'within a day or two.' 'We have scheduled to have three more flights from Iran in the next two to three days. In the same way, we are in constant contact with Indian nations in Iran as well as Israel... 162 Indian nationals have crossed the border to Jordan, and within a day or two, they will be brought back to India,' the minister said. The group of 285 evacuees, who arrived on a special flight from Mashhad, included people from several states such as Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. 'Special evacuation flight has arrived in New Delhi Airport... carrying 285 Indian nationals... Mainly from 10 states... Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra... The total number now stands at 1713,' Margherita added. The evacuees were welcomed by the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, after they landed at the Delhi Airport, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated. In a post on X, the MEA stated, 'India's evacuation efforts continue under Operation Sindhu. MoS Shri Pabitra Margherita received 285 Indian nationals evacuated on a special flight from Mashhad that landed in New Delhi at 2330 hrs on 22 June.' 'With this, 1,713 Indian nationals have now been brought home from Iran,' it added. Meanwhile, MoS Margherita, in a post on X, expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing operation, stating, 'Warmly welcomed 285 Indian nationals at the Delhi airport who were evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu. With this, 1,713 Indian nationals have been brought home safely from Iran.' (ANI)

Indian Express

an hour ago

• Indian Express

Janaki vs State of Kerala: Upcoming Suresh Gopi starrer faces CBFC hurdle over its name

The release of Malayalam film Janaki vs State of Kerala, starring actor and Union minister Suresh Gopi, has hit a roadblock after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) sought a change in the title of the film. The film's director, Praveen Narayanan, said that the CBFC has denied a screening certificate for the film, which was slated to be released on June 27. He said the film will now not be released on that date. The CBFC has reportedly sought a change in the name of the titular character, Janaki, and for the name to be removed from the film's title, as Janaki is also a name for Goddess Sita. The film revolves around the legal fight of a woman against the government. The CBFC is yet to serve a written notice to the film's producers regarding the demand, and it is expected to be delivered on Monday. Director and general secretary of the influential Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), B Unnikrishnan, reacted sharply to the CBFC's reported demand. 'A woman who faces an atrocity cannot be given the name of Goddess Sita? This will create a major crisis in the industry… At times, the names of Hindu characters will be that of a God or Goddess. If this is the situation, we will not even be able to use my name,' Unnikrishnan said. He also said that all films are made as per the guidelines of the CBFC, and that these guidelines do not mention anything related to what the board has demanded. Suresh Gopi has, so far, not reacted to the controversy related to the movie, which is his first one to hit screens after he became a Union minister last year.