PATNA, Feb. 14 -- The Bihar government is accelerating plans to restart nine long-shuttered sugar mills, with the Sasamusa unit in Gopalganj district expected to resume crushing soon, officials said.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar, during a recent review of the "Samriddh Udyog-Sashakt Bihar" scheme - a component of his Saat Nishchay-3 programme - instructed the sugarcane industries department to move quickly on the revivals. He told officers to prioritise Sasamusa and then bring the remaining eight mills back online without further delays. The CM also asked for faster progress on proposals for new mills, repeating his goal of placing Bihar among India's five most developed states.

The state has already scored one clear win: the Riga Sugar ...