Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Saturday, 3 October personally inspected the under-construction ethanol plant at Urwa village, Peterpahadi Panchayat, Chakai block, Jamui district, and declared that the facility would be fully operational by March 2027. The plant, being developed by Ankur Biochem, is described by state officials and industry sources as Asia's largest grain-based ethanol facility, with a proposed capacity of 750 kilolitres per day.

What the CM Found on the Ground

Choudhary arrived at the project site at approximately 12.15 pm and toured the premises in an e-rickshaw, reviewing different sections of the ongoing construction. After the walkthrough, he said construction was progressing rapidly and expressed confidence that the deadline would be met. The inspection was attended by a senior government delegation including Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Industries Department Principal Secretary Vivek Kumar, Munger Divisional Commissioner Prem Singh Meena, Jamui DM Naveen Kumar, and SP Vishwajeet Dayal, among others.

Three Key Demands from the Developer

During the inspection, representatives of Ankur Biochem placed three pressing requirements before the Chief Minister: improved road connectivity to the site, a reliable electricity supply through proposed power-grid infrastructure, and the establishment of a police outpost for security. Choudhary acknowledged these as essential for a project of this scale and directed senior officials to treat all three as priority items. He specifically instructed the administration to fast-track road construction, the power-grid setup, and the police outpost without allowing bureaucratic delays to impede progress.

Chakai as Bihar's Emerging Industrial Hub

Beyond the ethanol plant, the Chief Minister outlined broader ambitions for Chakai as a regional industrial centre. He spoke of government plans to develop a steel hub in the area and confirmed that a land survey had already been conducted to assess availability for the proposed development. According to Choudhary, the state is actively building the infrastructure needed to attract and sustain large industrial investments in Jamui district. This comes amid Bihar's wider push to diversify its economic base beyond agriculture.

Agricultural and Economic Impact

The ethanol facility is designed around grain-based production, using crops such as maize and rice — both widely cultivated in the region. Officials expect the plant to strengthen local demand for agricultural produce, providing a direct income boost to farmers in Jamui and surrounding districts. Notably, a facility of this capacity could also contribute meaningfully to India's national ethanol-blending targets, which the Centre has set at 20% blending with petrol by 2025-26. Bihar ministers Shreyasi Singh and Damodar Rawat, former minister Sumit Kumar Singh, MLA Savitri Devi, MLC Vijay Singh, and former MLC Sanjay Singh were also present during the inspection.

What Happens Next

With the March 2027 deadline now publicly stated by the Chief Minister himself, attention will shift to how quickly the administration delivers on the three infrastructure demands raised by the developer. Any lag in road access, power supply, or security arrangements could push back the commissioning timeline. The next visible milestone will likely be the award of road and grid contracts, which officials have been directed to expedite without procedural delay.