On Monday, November 3, 2025, the Congress party asserted that the BJP-JDU government, over its two decades in power in Bihar, has solely cultivated a “migration industry.” They accuse the ruling alliance of systematically undermining the state’s traditional industrial sectors.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary for communications, reaffirmed his party’s commitment to reinvigorating and bolstering Bihar’s industrial heritage. He strongly argued that Bihar requires genuine reconstruction, not an economy driven by out-migration.
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“Over their 20-year tenure, the BJP-JDU has unfortunately created only a ‘migration industry’ in Bihar,” stated Mr. Ramesh in a post on X. He lamented that a state with immense industrial potential has been effectively wiped off India’s development and industrial landscape.
He further claimed that Bihar, once celebrated for its robust sugar, paper, jute, silk, and dairy industries, is now tragically associated with widespread unemployment and a mass exodus of its people.
Mr. Ramesh highlighted that after India gained independence, Congress governments in the then-undivided Bihar established numerous industrial units. These initiatives firmly positioned the state on the national industrial map. He added that during that period, Bihar experienced rapid development driven by heavy industries, energy production, dairy, and railway manufacturing.
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To illustrate Congress’s historical impact, Mr. Ramesh listed several key industrial units established under their governance. He pointed to the Barauni Oil Refinery, which transformed Bihar into a significant energy production hub. He also mentioned the Sindri and Barauni fertilizer plants, crucial for India’s fertilizer security, and Barauni Dairy, which laid the groundwork for the modern Sudha Dairy.
Furthermore, he cited the Rail Wheel Plant in Bela, the Diesel Locomotive Plant in Marhowrah, the Nebi Nagar Thermal Project, and the extensive Sudha Cooperative Dairy Network as examples of foundational industrial development.
“While Congress governments established a visionary industrial foundation in Bihar, the BJP-JDU government has failed to build any significant new industries,” Mr. Ramesh alleged. “Instead, their corrupt and disorganized policies have dismantled even the existing industries.”
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He highlighted the plight of the Ashok Paper Mill, a 400-acre complex that he claims has been reduced to ruins, with its machinery rusted and its workforce displaced.
“Bihar once boasted over 33 sugar mills, producing almost 40% of the nation’s sugar. Today, most of these, including Sakri, Rayam, Loht, Motipur, Banmankhi, and Motihari, are shuttered, their machinery stripped and sold as scrap,” Mr. Ramesh stated.
He noted that despite the Prime Minister’s repeated election promises to revive these mills, they continue to close down one after another.
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According to Mr. Ramesh, the jute industry has suffered a similar demise, with the Rameshwar Jute Mill in Samastipur having closed in 2017. Bhagalpur’s renowned silk industry is also struggling, with its spun silk factory shut for years, leaving 95% of weaver families burdened by debt and poverty.
Mr. Ramesh pointed out the disparity, stating, “The Chief Minister (Nitish Kumar) claims large industries require proximity to the sea, while a Union Minister argues there’s no suitable land in Bihar for industry. Yet, land is allegedly given to favored industrialists of the Prime Minister for a mere ₹1 per acre.” He concluded by claiming that over three crore people have left Bihar seeking employment.
He further elaborated that laborers from Bihar’s border districts, including Katihar, Kishanganj, Purnia, and Araria, are forced to work as daily wagers as far away as Bengal and Assam.
Challenging the BJP-JDU government, Mr. Ramesh questioned why industrial development is deemed impossible today when Congress, in the past, successfully established heavy industries like Barauni, Sindri, Hatia, and Bokaro in landlocked Bihar, despite its lack of coastal access.
“Isn’t it a fact that over the past two decades, Bihar has been systematically stripped of its industries, leaving behind an economy heavily reliant on migration?” Mr. Ramesh inquired.
He also questioned whether the mills that once provided vital employment to farmers, workers, and youth have fallen victim to the BJP-JDU’s “misguided policies and negligence.”
The Congress leader reiterated, “The Congress is determined to revive and strengthen Bihar’s legacy of industry, employment, and self-reliance, all of which the BJP-JDU government has deliberately undermined over the last two decades. Bihar truly needs reconstruction, not continued migration.”
The upcoming Bihar elections are scheduled in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results expected on November 14. The Opposition’s INDIA bloc, comprising the RJD, Congress, and Left parties, has named RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as their Chief Ministerial candidate for the elections.