The sight of Nitish Kumar back in the saddle has lifted hopes of industrialists in the state.

Businessmen claimed industrialisation process in the state had become sluggish for months together under Jitan Ram Manjhi. Now, they hope the situation will look up with Nitish taking additional charge of the industries department after the swearing-in on Sunday.

Sources in the industries department said the priority of the government would be to convene a meeting of the Bihar State Industrial Investment and Advisory Council and arrange land in districts like Kaimur, Rohtas, Gaya and Aurangabad to take advantage of the upcoming Amritsar-Delhi-Calcutta Industrial Corridor.

An official said: 'The Bihar State Industrial Investment and Advisory Council comprises all the big names of India Inc. Formed by the government in 2011, its last meeting was in October 2013. Now, efforts would be made to convene the council once again to give industrialists across the country the message that Bihar means business.'

The council is supposed to advise the government on steps to be taken for attracting private investments.

On the industrial corridor - a central government project, the official said: 'Bihar needs at least 2,500 acres in thefour districts through which the Amritsar-Delhi-Calcutta Industrial Corridor passes. Work is on in this connection and one can expect it to proceed faster than earlier.'

Only two decisions were taken in the industries department during Manjhi's nine-month stint as chief minister. First, announcement of a special cabinet for industries and second, cabinet approval to a mid-term review of the industrial incentive policy.

'The state is faced with a severe development deficit in the field of private investment. Nitish, in his previous terms, had put forward a public investment-led development model in Bihar. For the state's development, though, a local entrepreneur-led private sector investment model is required. He should give top priority to private sector investment and remove all bottlenecks from infrastructure deficit to policy deficit,' said Satyajit Kumar Singh, the chairman of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

'Having Nitish as the chief minister is always healthier for entrepreneurs and potential investors. Bhim Singh, during his tenure as industries minister, visited national and international fairs but there was always a buzz among potential investors about Nitish's absence,' Rahul Kumar, a Vaishali-based industrialist.