Adani Group, Sun Petrochemicals and a host of other companies have committed to investing a record Rs 1.81 lakh crore in Bihar, across sectors ranging from renewable energy to cement, food processing and manufacturing.

Hitherto considered laggard, the state signed investment commitments with 423 companies at its only second investor meet, Bihar Business Connect 2024.

Bihar’s Industries and Tourism Minister Nitish Mishra, whose CEO-styled governance was instrumental in pivoting the change in perception about the state as an investment destination, said the first edition of investor meet in 2023 got an investment commitment of Rs 50,300 crore.

“We have today signed MoUs for over Rs 1.8 lakh crore. The numbers are still being complied and this may go up,” he said.

Sun Petrochemicals will invest Rs 36,700 crore in renewable energy projects including pump hydro and solar plants. Adani Group, which is the largest private investor in the state, committed to investing about Rs 28,000 crore in setting up a ultra super critical thermal power plant as well as expanding cement production capacity, food processing and logistics businesses.

NTPC Green, the renewable energy arm of the state-owned electricity generating giant, committed to investing Rs 10,000 crore in clean energy projects. SJVN, formerly known as Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, committed a similar amount for pump storage projects.