Patliputra Industrial Area. The industries department is working on a draft to form a private industrial park

The government is mulling setting up a cabinet committee of investments to facilitate the transfer of land between departments and boost industrialisation in the state.

An official of the industries department told The Telegraph on Tuesday: “Land is a greater hurdle than scarcity of power for setting up of industries in the state. Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority is short on land and farmers and landowners of the state do not want to give away their plots to investors. As a result, it is almost impossible to get big-ticket investments into the state despite our best attempts.”

He added: “Many departments have land lying idle in different parts of the state. These plots can be transferred to the industries department, which can then hand over the plots to the investors.”

This is, however, a difficult process that requires proper co-ordination and monitoring. “Hence the need to have a cabinet committee on investments,” said the official.

The suggestion to set up such a committee was given by business organisations and potential investors, who believe that inter-department transfers could be the solution to land problems for industries in the state.

Satyajit Kumar, chairman, Progress Harmony Development Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Bihar, said: “Two departments cannot just discuss the details among themselves and transfer land. The principal secretaries cannot do it by themselves. It requires the approval of the government. So, a process needs to be developed over time that would facilitate inter-departmental land transfer.”

He added: “First, one needs to trace unused land of different departments. Then, the lease rates need to be fixed. A cabinet committee consisting of the officials of all the departments and headed by the chief minister is needed.”

At present, different departments have more than 10,000 acres of unused land. Some of these departments are animal and fish resources, land and revenue and agriculture.

Earlier this year, the department had started preparing a draft proposal for a private industrial park. The authorities in the department had said the draft policy was almost final and would be presented before the cabinet for approval soon.

The government, however, has not announced it.