Bihar is set to host the ‘Global Convention on Transforming Bihar-2027’ on January 12 and 13, 2027, at the Samrat Ashok Convention Centre in Patna. Around 1,500 experts from India and abroad are expected to participate in discussions on industry, employment, investment, education and urban development. The event aims to formulate a development roadmap for the state up to 2047.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary officially launched the convention's portal at Hotel Maurya on Monday. He said the objective of the event is to prepare a development plan for Bihar for the next two decades.
The convention will focus on attracting new industries to Bihar, creating employment opportunities for young people within the state and planning urban development.
Industrialists, academicians, researchers, policymakers and members of the Bihari diaspora are expected to participate in the event.
Discussions will cover industrialisation, investment, startups, education, skill development and sustainable urban development. Other subjects on the agenda include the rural economy, agricultural transformation, artificial intelligence and women's entrepreneurship.
According to Kundan Kumar, Secretary of the Industries Department and CEO of Bihar Foundation, the convention will provide an opportunity for representatives from industry and academia to exchange views. The discussions are expected to generate practical suggestions on investment opportunities and the state's requirements.
An International Research Forum will be organised on January 10 and 11, two days before the main convention. Research papers addressing Bihar's economic and social challenges will be presented during the forum.
Experts will share findings from their studies and discuss areas in which the state can improve its performance.
Bihar Foundation and the Institute for Human Development are responsible for organising the overall event, with Nalanda University also extending its support.
Dedicated sessions will be organised on different subjects to facilitate detailed discussions on sector-specific challenges and potential solutions.
Participation from people originally from Bihar who are living in other states and abroad will be an important part of the convention.
The state government aims to encourage members of the Bihari diaspora to contribute to the state's development through their professional experience, technical knowledge and investments.
Several programmes are planned as part of this initiative, including an Investment and Opportunity Desk, startup pitch sessions, a Bihari Diaspora Dialogue and a Youth Dialogue. A separate pavilion will also be established for women entrepreneurs.
These initiatives will provide aspiring entrepreneurs with opportunities to interact with experienced industry professionals and discuss investment opportunities in Bihar directly.
During the portal launch, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary referred to the changes Bihar had undergone over the past two decades.
He said that while a large number of people previously wanted to leave Bihar and settle elsewhere, interest in staying in the state or returning to it has now increased.
Chaudhary also acknowledged Nitish Kumar's contribution to Bihar's development. According to him, the development foundation laid by Nitish Kumar during his tenure as Chief Minister is being carried forward by the current Chief Minister, Samrat Chaudhary.
He also recalled that conferences had previously been organised in 2007 under the theme ‘Resurgent Bihar’ and in 2012 under the theme ‘Changing Bihar’. The third edition will now be held under the theme ‘Transforming Bihar’.
