Patna, June 29: The state government has decided to set up an ancillary park at Bihta, around 40km west of the state capital to cater to US conglomerate General Electric (GE) and French rail transport multinational company Alstom, which are setting up locomotive manufacturing plants in Bihar.

While GE is establishing a Rs 14,656-crore diesel locomotive plant at Marhaura in Saran district, around 75km northwest of Patna to manufacture 900 engines, Alstom is setting-up an electric locomotive plant at Madhepura to make 800 electric railway engines, around 285km northeast from the state capital.

The two locomotive manufacturers will need several ancillary components right from nuts and bolts to bulbs and small tools and while making the engines for the Indian Railways, the Bihar government is hoping to cash in on the opportunity to give a push to industrial growth in the state.

"We have earmarked 79 acres at Bihta to set up an ancillary park, which will be used to establish ancillary units for GE and Alstom, giving impetus to industrial development in the state. We are expecting entrepreneurs and big industrial houses to set up ancillary units here," industries department principal secretary S. Siddharth said.

Sources in the industries department told The Telegraph that a meeting between officials from GE and industries department was held in Patna last week in which GE officials assured that they would procure ancillary components used in locomotive manufacturing, if they are of the quality required and used by the company.

GE officials also pointed out to the state government officials that their company maintains Six Sigma standards in the manufacturing process to effectively eliminate defects in the products. The industries department also showcased the opportunity at a road show for investors organised in Mumbai on June 27.

Siddharth also pointed out that multinational companies have expressed interest in manufacturing electric buses and cars in Bihar and the possibilities were being explored and worked out.

The industries department principal secretary pointed out that 442 investment proposals worth Rs 3,133 crore in various sectors like food processing, manufacturing of water pipes, fly ash bricks, renewable energy, health, plastic, rubber and textiles among other things have come in since theBihar Industrial Investment Promotion Policy, 2016, came into effect.

Similarly, 1928 start-up proposals have been received by the industries department of which 445 have been short-listed so far and forwarded to incubators for mentoring. The incubators will submit reports on whose basis seed fund and capital will be provided to the entrepreneurs.

The government has now embarked on a cluster-based growth model for industrial development under which a textile park at Bihta is being established on 90 acres. It will initially have 5000 sewing machines under one roof, courtesy the industries department and will give employment to around 6,000 people.

"We want to provide all facilities to around 200 investors expected to set up bases at the textile park. They will also set up their own bases at the park. We are also setting up three leather parks at Muzaffarpur and Nalanda," Siddharth said.

One leather park at Muzaffarpur and another at Mora Talab in Nalanda will be exclusively for people belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The industries department has also embarked on plans to develop handloom and silk industry in the state.