In the year 2025, Bihar made significant progress in infrastructure, aviation and economic sectors. Apart from the inauguration of the historic six-lane bridge over river Ganga to improve north-south road connectivity and the Purnia Civil Airport to enhance connectivity in the north-eastern districts, a state-of-the-art APJ Abdul Kalam Science City was opened in Patna. The Makhana Board was started to promote the production of the state’s signature superfood. Industry bodies lauded the introduction of a new industrial investment promotion policy as a game changer for the industrial progress of the state thanks to attractive incentives like land at nominal duty tax reimbursement. Nevertheless, persistent delays impacted many long-pending projects or government initiatives. The project to develop Bihta airport for commercial operations saw little progress on the ground this year. The recruitment process for assistant professors, which started in 2020, has been embroiled in controversies and lawsuits. Little progress has been made on the reconstruction of the Sultanganj-Aguanighat bridge, which has suffered from multiple breakdowns. The comprehensive land survey and digitization drive fell far short of target, while land acquisition hurdles halted the development of the kingdom’s first multi-modal logistics park in Fatuha.
key achievements:
Auta-Simaria bridge on Ganga
To boost road connectivity between North and South Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the impressive Aonta-Simaria 6-lane bridge, parallel to the old double-deck Rajendra Setu, on the Ganga river in August 2025. project, cost The building, costing Rs 1,870 crore, is one of the widest extradimensional cable-stayed structures in Asia. Built over a length of 1.86 km and a width of 34 metres, this architectural marvel connects Mokama in Patna district with Simaria in Begusarai. It reduces travel distance by up to 100 km for heavy vehicles, thereby reducing chronic congestion and saving time, fuel and costs for passengers. The timely completion of the project has been welcomed to ease North-South connectivity and facilitate easy access to markets for farmers in Mithilanchal. The bridge also provides an easy link for pilgrims to visit Simaria Dham – the iconic site and birthplace of poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar.
APJ Abdul Kalam Science City
The much-awaited APJ Abdul Kalam Science City was opened in Patna in September this year. Described as a tribute to India’s “Missile Man”, the institute is equipped with ultra-modern facilities, featuring five spacious galleries – Become a Scientist, Basic Science, Sustainable Planet, Space and Astronomy, and Body and Mind – with over 269 interactive exhibitions on topics ranging from AI and machine learning to environmental conservation and human anatomy. Spread over a 21-acre plot near Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in Rajendra Nagar, the project is expected to cost approximately 889 crores. Visitors can conduct practical experiments and experience the Foucault pendulum demonstrating the Earth’s rotation, a 4D theatre, auditorium and even take a selfie with the silicone statue of Dr Kalam. Along with regular inspection of the project by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, partial inauguration of major galleries was also done to arouse curiosity about science among students and families.
Makhana Board
In line with the announcement made in the Union Budget to boost the rural economy, a dedicated Makhana Board was opened in Purnia this year by PM Modi. Located in the North-Eastern district, the Board has been established A development package of Rs 476 crore to enhance the production, processing, value addition, branding and global marketing of Makhana, considered the superfood of the state. About 90% of India’s makhana production comes from the Mithila region. The Board is working to form Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), provide them training and technology, arrange cold storage and export infrastructure to prevent post-harvest losses and earn better prices. Recognizing the nutritional value of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana, this initiative empowers thousands of farmers, diversifies agriculture, creates rural employment, and establishes Bihar as a global leader in premium fox nuts – a commendable step towards sustainable income, women empowerment in processing, and taking the traditional crop to international markets.
New terminal at Purnia Airport and Patna Airport
The aviation sector achieved significant progress in Bihar with PM Modi on September 15 inaugurating an interim terminal for commercial flights at the defense establishment Purnia airport. On the inauguration day, the first flights of IndiGo and Star Air arrived from Kolkata and Ahmedabad respectively, marking the beginning of services connecting the two major cities with the North Eastern district of Bihar. A new terminal with expanded handling capacity and facilities for passengers was also inaugurated at Patna’s Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport. These interconnected developments bridge regional disparities, boost tourism, trade in makhana and maize and provide employment in areas that have long yearned for connectivity. The rapid growth of Purnia on India’s aviation map, as well as the upgradation of Patna, is considered a major step towards unlocking the economic potential and promoting inclusive growth in remote areas like Kosi and Seemanchal.
New Industrial Investment Promotion Policy
The launch of the new Industrial Investment Promotion Policy 2025 by the Government of Bihar comes across as a visionary step to attract large investments. The policy envisages offering land at nominal prices 1. Grant of tax reimbursement up to 300% over 14 years, interest subvention up to 40 crores, 30% capital subsidy and double export incentives 40 lakhs annually. Under the policy, investors will be given additional incentives such as employment generation assistance and grants for skill development, renewable energy rebates and environmental protection reimbursements, which are valid for applications till March 2026.
empty promises
delay in bihta airport
The long-awaited plan to develop Bihta Airport into an Indian Air Force facility for commercial flight operations – was launched with initial allocation in 2015 Rs 260 crore was spent to acquire 126 acres of land around the airbase – despite high expectations from fliers, little progress was seen this year. Originally scheduled for commercial operations by 2019, the project, aimed at decongesting Patna’s overburdened Jai Prakash Narayan International (JPNI) airport and handling larger aircraft, was mired in procedural entanglements for years. While the process of land acquisition and preparatory works began in mid-year following the main contract award to a Russian firm in early 2025, a major The sub-contract worth Rs 86 crore for the integrated terminal, utility building, elevated road and associated structures was awarded to the SEPC-Furlong joint venture in December alone. Officials associated with the project said it could be completed in 2027, and said the delay has already increased the burden on existing facilities and affected aviation development.
Appointment of Assistant Professors
Five years after the Bihar State University Service Commission (BSUSC) invited applications to fill 4,638 assistant professor vacancies in 52 subjects in September 2020 – just ahead of the assembly elections – the recruitment is embroiled in chaos, with applicants filing over 1,100 cases in the Patna High Court challenging the procedural mistakes. Allegations of forged experience certificates, fake research papers, irregularities in document verification and disputes in reservation rosters have marred the process, leading to frequent halts and cancellations of interviews in some subjects. The retirement of teachers has effectively canceled the appointments of about 3,000 teachers made earlier, leading to an acute shortage of staff in state universities and affecting teaching quality. While BSUSC has completed allocation in some subjects, a new plan to incorporate a transparent written exam-based mechanism – possibly UGC NET qualifiers – is in the works to curb litigation.
Reconstruction of Sultanganj-Aguanighat bridge
The long-awaited reconstruction of the four-lane Sultanganj-Aguwanighat bridge connecting Bhagalpur and Khagaria on river Ganga has not yet started, while earthwork for construction of approach roads has started this year. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had laid the foundation stone of this project. 1,710 crore, in 2014. The project, which was already delayed, suffered two minor accidents in its initial phase in 2022 and was later fixed. However, the bridge suffered massive damage in 2024 when a portion of the 3.16 km long main bridge structure collapsed amid floods due to alleged flaws in its design. Construction company SP Singla Construction had promised in the Patna High Court to reconstruct the bridge without any cost to the state. However, officials said progress on construction of the main river extension has been limited, with most of the work focused on approach roads. Recent reviews by senior officials, including Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, have underlined the state’s emphasis on strict monitoring and timely completion of the project by May 2027.
Incomplete land survey and digitization
Bihar government’s special survey and digitization of land records, which was earlier targeted to be completed by July 2025, is still not completed. The Department of Revenue and Land Reforms has relaunched the programme, which envisages using drones, satellite imagery and other modern tools to update entries in around 45,000 revenue villages to resolve land disputes. However, this has been hampered by technical glitches, staff shortages and complex field-level conflicts. The time limit has been changed several times. Officials now hope to complete the project by December 2026, as work continues on digitizing old records and processing self-declarations from land owners. The Chief Minister has repeatedly underlined that land-related disputes are a major source of crimes and litigation. A section of officials claim that slow implementation leaves the government vulnerable to fraud in property mutation and could deprive farmers of easy access to loans or government benefits. However, another section feared that the fast-paced digitization of records could affect the accuracy in digital records and increase the possibility of litigation.
Multi Model Logistics Park at Fatuha
The proposed multi-modal logistics park at Fatuha near Patna, sanctioned in early 2023 as a joint venture between the state government, National Highway Logistics Management Limited and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, is incomplete. Planned on a 100-acre plot as the first such facility in Bihar, the park is located at a strategic location for easy connectivity by road, rail and waterways. Officials said the project has been hit by inordinate delays in land transfer and prolonged disputes over compensation. By the end of 2025, only partial acquisition has been achieved, while related plans for a nearby Fintech City are in advanced stages. The delay delays potential gains in freight efficiency, lower transportation costs, and employment in an industrially active area. As neighboring states move to execute similar projects, analysts say Bihar may lag far behind in attracting investment and integrating it into the broader national logistics network.
