Bihar to Build 3 Dairy Plants, 2 Milk Powder Units

• 31 Jul 2025

Why in News? 

To boost the dairy industry and improve the livelihoods of farmers, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced the establishment of three new dairy plants and two milk powder manufacturing units in the state.  

Key Points

• New Dairy Plants and Milk Powder Units: The three dairy plants, with a combined capacity of 5 lakh litres per day, will be established in Darbhanga, Wazirganj (Gaya), and Gopalganj.  
  • The two milk powder manufacturing plants, each with a capacity of 30 metric tonnes per day, will be set up in Dehri-on-Sone (Rohtas) and Sitamarhi. 
  • These plants aim to meet the growing demand for milk products and provide employment in local areas. 
• Dairy Industry’s Role in Agricultural Growth: The state government emphasized the importance of dairying as a key contributor to the state’s GDP and the need for improved breeds of milch cattle.  
  • The new dairy units will also help in cooperative extension and improve the quality of milk. 
• Finance of Project: The plants will be financed through loans from Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and Bihar State Milk Cooperative Federation (COMFED). 

Sectoral Contributions in Bihar's GDP 

• As per Niti Aayog, Bihar's real GSDP has grown at an average rate of 5.0% between 2012-13 and 2021-22, which is lower than the national average growth rate of 5.6% during the same period. 
• Over the past three decades, Bihar's share in nominal terms of the national GDP has decreased from 3.6% in 1990-91 to 2.8% in 2021-22.  
  • Its nominal per capita income was only 30% of the national per capita income in 2021-22. 
• The services sector has the highest share in GSVA (57.1%), followed by agriculture (24.3%), and industry (17.2%). 
  • The share of the agricultural sector in the total GSVA (nominal) was 24.9% in FY 2021-22. 
• Between 2013-14 and 2022-23, the state's service sector, industry, and agriculture grew by 6.4%, 8.6%, and 2.6%, respectively.