The Bihar cabinet has approved the Bihar MSME Policy 2026, targeting the creation of 10 mn entrepreneurial families and 10 mn direct and indirect jobs over the next five years. The policy aims to strengthen the state’s economic base by improving access to finance, markets, skills and technology for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The cabinet approved the framework on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. Cabinet Secretariat Department Additional Chief Secretary Arwind Kumar Choudhary said the policy would be built around the goal of creating 10 mn entrepreneurial families as the foundation for a stronger Bihar. The policy seeks to raise Bihar’s credit-deposit ratio to 75 per cent from slightly above 60 per cent. It provides for an MSME corpus and growth fund to improve access to finance, while an MSME centre will be established in each of the state’s 38 districts. The framework identifies 10 economic pillars, including informal businesses, skill development, cluster-based growth, markets, emerging sectors, cooperatives, technology and environmental sustainability. The cabinet also approved an agreement with the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, to delineate floodplain zones along the Ganga’s major tributaries in Bihar. The study will cover the Kosi, Gandak and Sone rivers and has been allocated Rs. 19.9 mn. A separate Rs. 83.2 mn emergency exercise, due for completion within eight months, will assess embankments, prepare inundation maps and emergency action plans, and establish coordination arrangements. The Sonepur project area will be expanded to accommodate national and state-level projects, including a satellite township, international airport, film city and educational institutions. The cabinet also lifted restrictions on land transactions in 11 proposed satellite townships, subject to notified development plans. In aviation decisions, it approved a 30-year lease of 1,000 square metres at Saharsa airport to G R D Air Academy for flight training and sanctioned Rs. 435 mn in viability gap funding for the UDAN regional connectivity programme.