BETTIAH, Dec. 17 -- The proposed special economic zone (SEZ), the deck for which was cleared by the centre last year to boost investment and jobs with better infrastructure and incentives, has now begun to gain momentum, albeit at snail's pace, in West Champaran. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Rohit Raj, general manager of the Industry Department in West Champaran, said that following the acquisition of 125 acres of land from the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA), a tender has been floated for site preparation for entrepreneurs at Kumarbagh in the district. "A sum of around Rs.103 crore will be spent on construction of a boundary wall, drainage system, roads and other related infrastructure, besides beautification of the site before it is thrown open to entrepreneurs," Raj said, adding that the tender proposes completion of the work within 15 months. The development comes months after the Centre approved Bihar's first Special Economic Zones (SEZs) at Navanagar in Buxar district and Kumarbagh in West Champaran during 2024-25, under the Bihar Industrial Investment Promotion Package 2025, which offers new policies for large investments, land allocation and tax incentives. "After site preparation, we are confident that the SEZ location will attract entrepreneurs in large numbers as the area is well connected by road and rail. Moreover, several industrial units, including a steel processing unit set up by SAIL and rice- and paddy-based units, are already operating in and around Kumarbagh, and proximity to Nepal border further enhances its strategic appeal," said an official, requesting anonymity. "Any industry set up on these 125 acres will be exempt from taxes. The 125-acre campus will be treated as a foreign territory for taxation purposes," the official added....