Bihar

Tourism of Bihar

Important places of tourist interest are Rajgir (pilgrim place for the Buddhists), Bodh Gaya (most sacred place for Buddhists), Gaya, (centre of pilgrimage for Hindus), Nalanda ( ruins of the world's earliest Buddhist university) and Vaishali (the seat of the first republic of the world in the sixth century bc). Other places of tourist interest in Bihar include Hazaribagh, a wildlife reserve, famous for its national park; Bhimbandh, famous for hot springs; Maner, a sacred Muslim shrine of Sufi Saint Hazrat Makhdoom Shah; Vikramshila, the ruins of a Buddhist university; Deoghar, famous for a Hindu shrine and Sasaram, the site of the tomb of Afghan emperor Sher Shah Suri.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Capital	Patna
Area	173,877 Sq. Km.
Population	86,374,465
Principal Languages	Hindi, Maithili
Urbanization rate	13.17%
Literacy rate	38%
State Doemstic Product	Rs. 293420 mln. (1992-93, At current prices)
Per Capita State Income	Rs. 3280 (1992-93, At current prices)
No. of Districts	42
Cities	Gaya, Patna, Vaishali

INFRASTRUCTURE
Power Generating Capacity of the plants
          (Located in the state excluding Multi State Projects)
          -----------------------------------------------------
                                               MW           %
          -----------------------------------------------------
            Hydro                      :      150          10
            Thermal                    :    1,300          90
          -----------------------------------------------------
            Total                      :    1,450         100
          -----------------------------------------------------
  
             Energy Requirement/Availability (mln. units) 
          -----------------------------------------------------
                                         1989-90        1994-95 
                                                    (Estimated)
          -----------------------------------------------------
          Energy Requirement         :     6,307         10,917
          Energy Availability        :     6,590         12,009
          Surplus (+)/ Deficit (-)   :     + 283        + 1,092
          -----------------------------------------------------
  
  Number of Bank Branches                  : 4,599
  Railway Route Per '000 Sq. Km. of Area   : 30.6 Km.
  Road Length  Per '000 Sq. Km. of Area    : 483 Km.
  Airports                                 : Gaya, Patna, Ranchi


MAJOR INDUSTRIES/CROPS/MINERALS
  Industries  :  Steel,  Sponge Iron, Coal Mining, Oil  Refinery,  Heavy
                 Engineering, Forging, Fertilisers, Jelly Filled  Commu-
                 nication Cables, High Tension Insulators,Watch Factory,
                 Ceramic  Capacitors,  TV-Receivers,  Fruit  Processing,
                 Bulk Drugs.
  
  Crops       :  Paddy,   Wheat,  Maize,  Pulses,  Sugarcane,   Potatoes
                 Tobacco, Oilseeds, Onion, Chilies, Jute, Mesta.
  
  Minerals    :  Coal, Mica, Copper Ore, Uranium, Limestone, China Clay,
                 Fire Clay, Bauxite, Kyanite.

FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
  -    Investment grant at rates ranging from 15% to 20% with a  maximum
       of Rs. 1.5 mln.
  
  -    Assistance  between  20%  to  25% of the cost for installation of
       captive power generating sets.
  
  -    Grants  for preparation of feasibility reports and for  technical
       know-how fee.
  
  -    Special incentives for units in notified growth centres and  100%
       export oriented units and electronic industries.
  
  -    Special grant for preparation of energy audit reports and  energy
       saving equipment and machinery.

FISCAL CONCESSIONS
  -    Sales tax exemption on the purchase of raw materials.
  
  -    Concessional Power Tariff.

Contact Address
  
  The Director of Industries
  C/o. The Resident Commissioner
  Bihar Bhawan,
  Kautilya Marg
  New Delhi - 110 021
  Phone : 91 301 4945; 301 0147; 301 0148                               

Hotels of Bihar

The State has hotels of star and non star category catering to the needs of the tourists visiting Bihar. Besides it has resorts, restaurants and cafés which cater to the needs of all segment of travelers.