While replying to the debate on the Budget of the industries department in the Assembly, Renu Kumari started blaming the preceding RJD government for anarchy and chaos to deter prospective investors. She also accused the opposition parties of conspiring to destroy the investment sentiment created by the state government. She also said that the hue and cry over the alleged BIADA scam and violence at some industrial units were carried out deliberately to drive away investors.

 

This infuriated the Leader of Opposition who rubbished her charges and claims about sustained industrial activities in Bihar and asked her to prove them. He challenged the state government to recommend a CBI probe into the alleged BIADA scam and said that it would prove beyond doubt that favours were done to the relatives of influential politicians and bureaucrats in allotment of government land for industrial activities. The opposition members alleged how can the previous RJD government which lost power seven years back be blamed for the slow industrial development now.

Siddiqui then led the opposition MLAs in staging a walk out from the House.

 

Earlier, the minister claimed that the state government has received Rs 2.65 lakh crore in investment proposals for 603 industrial units. She said that the food processing sector accounted for 314 of them. Their estimated cost is Rs 4,321 crore. While 28 proposals for sugar mills were received that would bring investment of Rs 6,507 crore. There were 96 proposals for units in other industrial sectors at an estimated investment of Rs 12,870 crore.

 

Renu Kumari said that there was investment of Rs 3,728 crore in 60 industrial units established till date. In the agriculture and FMCG sector, the state government received DPRS of 98 projects with an estimated investment of Rs 1.60 lakh crore out of which 35 projects were implemented comprising 15 rice mills, five flour mills, two maize processing units, while the other projects were at different stages of execution.

 

Stressing that the state had necessary assets like water, climate, law and order and huge manpower, she said that the state had the required infrastructure to woo investors to set up units in Bihar.