Patna/Buxar: Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary on Saturday inaugurated one of South Asia’s largest Coca-Cola bottling plants set up by SLMG Beverages Pvt Ltd at Nawanagar and the J K Cement grinding unit at Brahmpur in Buxar.Samrat said both projects, set up with a total investment of Rs 1700 crore, represent a major step towards industrial development and the creation of one crore jobs in the state over the next five years.Industries minister Dilip Jaiswal, who was present on the occasion, said Bihar has created an investor-friendly atmosphere and rolled out a red carpet through its industrial policy for industrialists to set up their units. He added that Bihar is set to become the industrial hub of eastern India in the coming days. Jaiswal also said the state has formed the Bihar Industrial Security Force (BISF) on the lines of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to provide security to factories being established in the state.J K Cement vice chairman Nidhipati Singhania said Bihar has a bright future and the company is proud to be part of its growth story. “We are not only manufacturing cement here, but are also laying the foundation of a new Bihar and India,” Singhania said.The Nawanagar plant has been engineered as one of South Asia’s largest and most technologically advanced bottling plants, with a total installed capacity of over 5,000 bottles per minute. Spread across approximately 65 acres of land provided by Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA), the multi-category plant supports carbonated soft drinks, juices, packaged drinking water, and aseptic beverages, with advanced PET bottle technology extending product shelf life up to eight months.SLMG Beverages director Siddharth Ladhani said the facility represents a transformative investment for both the company and Bihar, combining world-class technology, large-scale capacity, and sustainable operations to create employment and economic opportunities while strengthening the partnership with the Coca-Cola Company.The deputy chief minister said the cement plant is spread over 100 acres and has a production capacity of 3 MTPA. This will ensure timely supply of high-quality cement to Bihar and surrounding areas, he said. Samrat added that the beverages plant, built on 65 acres at a cost of Rs 1200 crore, has a production capacity of 3.24 lakh cases per day.He said the NDA govt, led by CM Nitish Kumar, is attracting major investments in the state under the new industrial policy.Keeping environmental protection in mind, the plant has installed wastewater treatment facilities, promoted PET recycling, and developed approximately 40% of the campus as green space, he said.
