Bhagalpur, June 27: President of Eastern Bihar Industries Association (EBIA) Mukutdhari Agrawal has stressed the need for agro-based industries in Bhagalpur owing to the abundance of raw material.

EBIA has also drawn up an ambitious roadmap to support and encourage establishment of agro-based industries. According to the roadmap, meeting of entrepreneurs interested in setting up food and agriculture-based industries is being planned with M.L. Chaudhary, the vice-chancellor, Bihar Agriculture University, Sabour (BAU).

“In the meeting, the prospect of technical assistance from BAU to interested industrialists would be explored,” Agrawal said. Meeting of local industrialists with C.K. Mishra, the principal secretary, department of industries, Bihar, is also on the cards.

EBIA is also planning a mega event, a seminar with agriculture and food-processing industries with the support of BAU in the last week of August or first week of September 2011, Agrawal said.

“Present and prospective industrialists from Bhagalpur and nearby areas will benefit from this proposed seminar,” Agrawal added.

According to him, representatives of IL&FS, a New Delhi-based company, which has been appointed as a nodal agency by the state government for execution of food-processing schemes, CFTRI, Mysore, technology transfer wing of IIT-Kharagpur, are expected to participate in the proposed seminar. Also representatives of the state government, banks and agricultural scientists would participate.

Local MP Syed Shahnawaz Hussain and M.K. Jalan, chairman of Keventer Agro, the promoter company of mega food park, have been requested to attend the seminar.

According to Agrawal, the scenario of agro-based industries in the area looked poised for a sea change.

The commitment of the Bihar government of extending incentives to food-processing industries in the new industrial policy, announcement of setting up of mega food park at Kahalgaon and assurance by BAU to provide technical and specialised advice in preparing industry-related detailed-project reports (DPRs) to entrepreneurs interested in setting up agro-based industries, would change the entire industrial face of the area.

“Farmers and agro producers feel they would get price benefit in the future if processing units are set up keeping in mind the demand for local food grain, fruit and vegetable produce,” Agrawal said.

Echoing Agrawal, Nabin Kumar Roy, district development manager, Nabard, said: “Since the district has wider potential of agro-based industries, Nabard has put Bhagalpur on potential link plan (PLP). It also conducted a survey at Sabour, Kahalgaon, Jagdishpur, Nathnagar, Shahkund, Gopalpur, Bihpur, Ismailpur, Kharik and Rangra blocks of Bhagalpur and found it suitable for agriculture and fruit-based processing industries. While Sanhaula, Pirpainty, Gauradih, Sultanganj, Narayanpur and Naugachia blocks are ideal for foodgrain-based industries. Milk and dairy could also be developed as an industry,” Roy said.