BEGUSARAI: Chief minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated a beverage bottling plant, arguably the largest in eastern and northeastern India, on the premises of Industrial Growth Centre at Barauni on Friday.
Varun Beverages Limited (VBL), one of the biggest franchisees of the multinational beverage company PepsiCo, has set up the unit to produce beverages sold under various popular trademarks. To begin with, the company has started production of carbonated soft drinks, fruit juices and packaged drinking water. Also, the company has claimed that 90% of the workforce at the plant will be from Bihar.
Expressing happiness over commencement of production at the plant, the CM said such a plant with state-of-the-art technology has been established for the first time in the state.
"I visited the plant and saw various units involved in production activities with cutting-edge technology. I feel very glad that the plant started production in such a short span of time. I hope the products of the unit will not only be used by people within the state but also outside," he said.
Nitish praised VBL chief managing director Ravi Kant Jaipuria for setting up the plant in a very short period. "In February this year, I had a meeting with Jaipuriaji in this regard and the plant is operational today. I congratulate him as well as state industry minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain for the establishment of the plant," he added. Nitish also reiterated the government's commitment to usher in industrial development in the state.
Hussain said the inauguration of the bottling plant signified the rapid pace of industrial development in Bihar.
