Patna: Samrat Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, on Monday said that nine to ten sugar mills have been revived in the state under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government as part of efforts to strengthen the sugar industry and boost farmers’ incomes, Sach Kahoon reported.
Speaking at the Sugarcane Technology Seminar–2026 in Patna, Choudhary said that the state, which was once considered unsuitable for industrial investment, has seen several sugar mills resume operations under the current administration.
He added that during the 2025 assembly election campaign, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised that 25 sugar mills would be made operational in Bihar over the next five years. According to the Deputy Chief Minister, work toward achieving that target has already begun following the formation of the new government.
Choudhary emphasised that technology-driven agriculture is essential for the overall development of farmers. He said the state government has made provisions in the previous budget to establish a Centre of Excellence to promote modern agricultural practices, with the required funds already allocated.
The centre, he said, will help bring advanced technologies to the agriculture sector and benefit farmers directly once completed.
Highlighting the role of emerging technologies, Choudhary said the time has come to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence in agriculture, sugarcane cultivation and the sugar industry.
He also stressed the importance of promoting cash crops such as sugarcane to improve farmers’ incomes. Bihar once had a large number of sugar mills and was a major producer of jaggery, he said, but many mills closed during the rule of the Indian National Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal.
Choudhary said efforts are now underway to revive the sector under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and with the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He added that the government is preparing a draft Incentive Policy 2026 to promote the sugar industry. The policy aims to boost sugarcane cultivation, raise farmers’ incomes and create employment opportunities for workers within the state.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the government is encouraging farmers to cultivate sugarcane alongside paddy, noting that farmers in states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana have improved their livelihoods through cash crop farming.
