Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on 1 October 2026 formally opened the Rising Bihar Investor Summit 2026 at the Taj City Centre in Patna, urging industrialists to tap into the state's 14 crore-strong population as a ready consumer market while pledging full government support on infrastructure, procurement, and policy. The summit was co-inaugurated by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Industries Minister Shreyasi Singh, and Road Construction Minister Kumar Shailendra.

Key Commitments from the State Government

Addressing investors, Choudhary assured that products manufactured by industries set up in Bihar would receive 25 per cent priority in government procurement, subject to quality standards. The state's procurement policy is also being amended to better support industrial development. He added that the government would work to facilitate wider market access for new industries beyond state tenders.

Choudhary also announced that Bihar would solarise agricultural feeders — a move he said would guarantee daytime electricity for farmers while reducing the fiscal burden of power subsidies. The state has formulated a silt policy for the first time, exploring the use of river-dredged material in road construction to lower project costs.

Infrastructure Growth: Roads, Power and Connectivity

The Chief Minister cited a dramatic expansion of Bihar's road network — from roughly 8,000 km to approximately 1.5 lakh km — as evidence of the state's infrastructure transformation. Power availability, he said, had surged from around 500 MW in 2005 to over 10,000 MW today, with a government target of reaching 20,000 MW within the next five years.

On connectivity, Choudhary highlighted plans for new transport modes including ropeways and water transport. A proposed ropeway project linking Patna with the Baba Hariharnath Temple in Sonepur across the Ganga was specifically mentioned as part of the state's tourism infrastructure push.

Water Management and the Flood-Drought Challenge

Choudhary acknowledged Bihar's perennial water challenges — recurring floods driven by inflows from Nepal and neighbouring states through rivers such as the Ganga, Kosi, and Gandak — while also flagging drought-prone pockets in south Bihar. He called for a long-term river management strategy and said the Kosi region could be developed into industrial corridors, townships, and tourism zones if water resources were better managed.

Efforts to ensure availability of Ganga water for drinking and irrigation in drought-affected areas are also underway, he said.

Tourism, Hotels and Sectors Flagged for Investment

The Chief Minister identified tourism, hotels, and eco-tourism as sectors with significant untapped potential, pointing to sites in Patna and Gaya as priority locations for hospitality projects. He invoked Bihar's historical legacy — citing Nalanda, Vikramshila, the empires of Magadh and Pataliputra, and the state's association with Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavir, and Guru Gobind Singh Ji — to argue that the state's cultural capital remained undermonetised.

Centre-State Alignment and Gadkari's Backing

Choudhary thanked Gadkari for attending and said Centre-state cooperation was key to accelerating highway and expressway development in Bihar. Gadkari, in his address, acknowledged that significant development work was underway in the state under Choudhary's leadership. This alignment is notable given Bihar's ongoing dependence on central highway funding and its strategic position on the eastern economic corridor.

The summit signals Bihar's most structured attempt yet to reframe the state's narrative — from a high-migration, flood-prone belt to an investment-ready destination with scale.