India’s industrial hub has always been centred around its western and southern regions. However, now we are seeing a prominent shift, which is driven by the notion of state-led industrial growth in central and eastern areas. The states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha are leveraging critical policy reforms along with planned infrastructure development to introduce new growth opportunities. This scale of transformation cannot be counted as mere regional upliftment, but a fundamental initiative to redefine India’s economy.
Bihar – From agrarian to industrial growth
Bihar has always been associated with its agrarian identity. Being the most eminent source of migrant labor in the country, it is experiencing an intense economic rebalancing in recent years. Bihar’s GDP is all set to achieve nearly INR 11 trillion for FY 2025-26, marking a significant double-digit annual growth. Bihar’s strong agrarian foundation has served as an accelerator for its food processing sector. The state is also prioritising other robust industries like leather, textiles, manufacturing, tourism, and IT.
The proactive governance has encouraged a sea of investors to invest in a plethora of businesses. The state introduced the Industrial Investment Promotion Package (BIIP) for offering concessions, like capital subsidies, free land allotment, and interest subvention for businesses generating large-scale employment.
A landmark collaboration with the Inland Waterways Authority of India for a water metro project in Patna is yet another initiative for improved infrastructure and modern transport. With smart targeting of sectors that incline towards its human resource strength and raw material availability, Bihar is working tirelessly to create jobs locally and reverse the migration trend.
Uttar Pradesh – The manufacturing and defence hub
Uttar Pradesh has evolved as a massive growth magnet in the last decade. The recent government has a multi-prolonged approach to infrastructure and entrepreneurship. This growth is primarily driven by the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC). It is an ambitious project covering six nodes like Lucknow, Kanpur, and Jhansi. The project has pulled investment proposals worth trillions, positioning UP as the key catalyst in the Atmanirbhar Bahrat narrative.
Additionally, UP is actively encouraging MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) as these businesses play a crucial role in job creation and entrepreneurship. Noteworthy schemes such as the ODOP (One District, One Product) program have boosted local industries, particularly the handicrafts sector. UP’s bold take on streamlining of land acquisition has augmented investor confidence, gearing up its transition into a strong manufacturing powerhouse.
Odisha – Harnessing the eastern coast’s potential
Blessed with abundant mineral wealth and port infrastructure, the extensive coastline of Odisha is now unleashing its true power for industrialisation as part of the Purvodaya (the rise of Eastern India) initiative. The state hosts flagship events such as the Utkarsh Odisha- Make In Odisha investors meet which is a huge investment puller.
Odisha has recently received massive investment proposals for port development and the setup of semiconductor units. These plans are strategic initiatives to diversify Odisha’s economy from mining to hi-tech manufacturing businesses.
Odisha is largely inclined towards building a dynamic ecosystem that promotes maritime strengths for ship building and allied blue programs for enhancing both economic and maritime abilities of India.
Bottomline
It is a dream come true to see prominent eastern states of Bihar, UP, and Odisha flourishing as industrial regions of growth and opportunities. With proactive policies and infrastructure upgrades these states are setting high standards of inclusive prosperity and opportunity, transforming the eastern region into India’s strong pillars of economic growth.
