Patna, October 13: (ABN) The state government has taken steps to establish Bihar as a new hub for investment in the IT and artificial intelligence sectors. Inaugurating the CTRLS company's data center in the Patliputra industrial area on Tuesday, Chief Minister Smriti Choudhary set a target to establish data centers with a minimum capacity of 1,000 megawatts in Bihar over the next five years. She stated that an agreement for an investment of 10,000 crore rupees has been signed between the Industry Department and the company, which is expected to boost IT, artificial intelligence, and other industrial activities in the state. The government is focusing on expanding industrial infrastructure, increasing investment, and creating new employment opportunities. After the inauguration, the Chief Minister inspected the data center and gathered information about the digital operations being conducted there. She congratulated the company's founder, Shri Dhara Panapureddy, and his team, while appealing for further investment in Bihar.

The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has set a goal to become a developed nation by 2047. Significant progress has been made in developing roads, electricity, and other basic facilities in Bihar between 2005 and 2025. It is now necessary to further expand these facilities to accelerate industrial development. She stated that the expansion of industries will increase employment opportunities and strengthen the state economy. The government is working to ensure the availability of land for the establishment of industrial units, mentioning that action is being taken regarding approximately 13,000 acres of land in this regard.

The Chief Minister spoke about promoting other industrial activities, including the manufacturing of electronic equipment, in the areas across the Ganges and in Hajipur. She said that new investment opportunities will be created by linking the under-construction expressway, highway, and other infrastructure projects with industrial development. Mentioning improvements in power availability, she stated that a continuous supply of energy is essential for industrial development. The government is also exploring opportunities in the renewable energy sector to meet the needs of industries in the future.

The Chief Minister mentioned Bihar's budget of approximately 3.47 lakh crore rupees and the state's own revenue of approximately 70,000 crore rupees, emphasizing the need to increase revenue to 2 lakh crore rupees. She stated that extensive expansion in the sectors of industry, technology, and investment is necessary to achieve this target.

The CTRLS company has established this data center under the Bihar IT Policy 2024 of the Information Technology Department. The event was attended by IT Minister Nitish Mishra, Industry Minister Shreeshi Singh, Chief Minister's Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh, Industry Department Secretary Kandan Kumar, IT Department Secretary Abhe Kumar Singh, BIDA Managing Director Naveen Kumar, Industry Department Director Mukul Kumar Gupta, the company's Executive Director Kamal Vardhan Rao, and other relevant officials.