Patna: Bihar has something to cheer about with a slew of officials from international funding agencies paying it a visit.
The World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (AD and Britain's Department for International Development (DFID) seem to be viewing Bihar as a promising destination in 2007, officials say.
The US-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has also expressed keenness to assist in the state's development, particularly its farmers.
DFID India chief Susanna Moorhead along with the World Bank team met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and top officials in Patna Friday.
The eight-member World Bank team led by Prafulla Patel came to explore investment opportunities in the road, health, education and power sectors.
Patel said the World Bank was willing to provide funds for infrastructure development, particularly roads, power and irrigation. "We have initiated moves and funds will flow after finalisation," he said.
DFID is also willing to provide grants for development, an official said. Its focus will be on poverty reduction programmes and infrastructure development in the state.
Earlier this week, a 10-member ADB team held detailed discussions with Nitish Kumar and top officials of the road, finance, urban development, agriculture and energy departments.
The Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) has also offered to provide funds worth Rs.56 billion for the construction of four-lane roads in the Buddhist circuit of Bihar. These will be roads connecting Buddhist shrines in Bodh Gaya, Nalanda and Rajgir.
Officials said the state government would submit a feasibility report on the identified roads to JBIC by February 15.
A high-level team of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation visited Bihar earlier this week. According to Alok Kumar Sikka of the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (eastern region), the foundation has shown interest in the state's agriculture, horticulture, fishery and animal husbandry.
Last month, a global meet of 500 experts, including NRIs, economists and investors was held to boost investment in Bihar.
Bihar is notorious for poor road connectivity. Most existing roads and highways are believed to be in a bad condition. This is despite budget allocations that run into billions of rupees.
Last year the Patna High Court rapped the government on its failure to improve roads. In January again, the court directed the government to start building roads at the earliest and submit a report by March.
The slow pace of road construction in Bihar is also attributed to threats by criminal gangs to construction firms.
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