Katiharकटिहार
30.7 lakh people. Larger than Qatar, Jamaica, or Armenia. Governed as one cell of one state.
- Population
- 30,71,029 (30.7 lakh)
- Area
- 3,056 km²
- Headquarters
- Katihar
₹4,061 cr
of bankable business potential identified by the government in Katihar.
Source: NABARD PLP 2023-24
Opportunities
What you can build here
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NABARD's plan for Katihar · PLP 2023-24
₹4,061 crof bankable credit potential identified by the government
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME)
₹1,755 cr
Crop production, maintenance & marketing
₹908 cr
Term loans for agriculture & allied activities
₹612 cr
Ancillary activities (incl. food & agro processing)
₹187 cr
NABARD's Potential Linked Credit Plan for Katihar (2023-24) sizes the district's bankable opportunity at ₹4060.88 crore. Unusually for a farm district, the split is nearly even: agriculture is ₹1845.05 crore (45%) and MSME is ₹1755.36 crore (43%), with education, housing, informal credit, renewable energy and social infrastructure making up the rest.
For an entrepreneur, several clusters stand out. Makhana (fox nut) is the flagged thrust crop under One District One Product — the plan wants makhana cultivation expanded and new processing units built, and fresh entrepreneurs are already interested. Dairy is the largest allied line at ₹200.74 crore, backed by 251 dairy cooperatives and 2.92 lakh tonnes of milk; new societies are wanted in Kursela, Korha, Sameli and Falka blocks. Food and agro processing carries ₹155.39 crore: Katihar leads in maize and banana but has no processing unit, so the crop leaves the district — building one would lift farm-gate prices. Fisheries adds ₹78.85 crore on 45,600 tonnes of annual production, and dragon fruit cultivation is expected to grow.
The PLP's own complaints are blunt: the absence of processing units is the biggest constraint, the district is industrially backward with its jute mills shut, quality inputs and marketing are weak, and 10 of 16 blocks flood every year — leaving some areas with no crop for 3-4 months.
What the plan promotes
- Crop loans dominate the farm plan at ₹908.14 cr, financing the district's main crops — paddy, wheat, maize, banana, makhana, pulses, oilseeds, potato, jute and vegetables — on a gross cropped area of 232200 ha where farmers take two to three crops a year
- Makhana (fox nut) is the flagged 2023-24 thrust crop under the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme; the PLP wants makhana cultivation expanded and new makhana processing units set up, with fresh entrepreneurs already showing interest
- Dairy development is the single largest allied term-loan line at ₹200.74 cr, backed by 251 dairy cooperative societies and district milk production of 2.92 lakh tonnes; scope for new societies is called out for Kursela, Korha, Sameli and Falka blocks
- Food and agro processing carries ₹155.39 cr of potential — the district leads in maize and banana but has no processing unit, so produce is currently shipped to neighbouring states; setting up processing would raise farm-gate prices
- Fisheries term loans of ₹78.85 cr, supported by 17 fishermen societies (mostly in Kursela block) and 2021-22 fish production of 45,600 MT, with wide scope for expansion across the district's rivers and ponds
- Plantation and horticulture at ₹95.01 cr, including dragon fruit — the PLP expects dragon fruit cultivation and milk production to expand under new-entrepreneur interest
Gaps the plan names
- Lack of processing units is the district's single biggest constraint; the PLP calls for post-harvest processing units under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to raise farmer incomes
- No food processing unit exists despite Katihar leading in maize and banana production, so this produce is sold off to neighbouring states at lower value
- Katihar is industrially backward with no large industrial unit — the once-famous Katihar Jute Mill and other jute mills are now closed or only partly running
- Weak marketing system and shortage of quality inputs — high-quality seed, fertiliser, veterinary services and reliable power supply are named as the biggest barriers to development
- Severe and recurring floods: 10 of the district's 16 blocks are flood-affected, causing loss of life and property and leaving no cultivation for roughly 3-4 months in stagnant-water areas
See the plan's recommendations
What the plan promotes
- Crop loans dominate the farm plan at ₹908.14 cr, financing the district's main crops — paddy, wheat, maize, banana, makhana, pulses, oilseeds, potato, jute and vegetables — on a gross cropped area of 232200 ha where farmers take two to three crops a year
- Makhana (fox nut) is the flagged 2023-24 thrust crop under the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme; the PLP wants makhana cultivation expanded and new makhana processing units set up, with fresh entrepreneurs already showing interest
- Dairy development is the single largest allied term-loan line at ₹200.74 cr, backed by 251 dairy cooperative societies and district milk production of 2.92 lakh tonnes; scope for new societies is called out for Kursela, Korha, Sameli and Falka blocks
- Food and agro processing carries ₹155.39 cr of potential — the district leads in maize and banana but has no processing unit, so produce is currently shipped to neighbouring states; setting up processing would raise farm-gate prices
- Fisheries term loans of ₹78.85 cr, supported by 17 fishermen societies (mostly in Kursela block) and 2021-22 fish production of 45,600 MT, with wide scope for expansion across the district's rivers and ponds
- Plantation and horticulture at ₹95.01 cr, including dragon fruit — the PLP expects dragon fruit cultivation and milk production to expand under new-entrepreneur interest
Gaps the plan names
- Lack of processing units is the district's single biggest constraint; the PLP calls for post-harvest processing units under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to raise farmer incomes
- No food processing unit exists despite Katihar leading in maize and banana production, so this produce is sold off to neighbouring states at lower value
- Katihar is industrially backward with no large industrial unit — the once-famous Katihar Jute Mill and other jute mills are now closed or only partly running
- Weak marketing system and shortage of quality inputs — high-quality seed, fertiliser, veterinary services and reliable power supply are named as the biggest barriers to development
- Severe and recurring floods: 10 of the district's 16 blocks are flood-affected, causing loss of life and property and leaving no cultivation for roughly 3-4 months in stagnant-water areas
Value-chain gaps
Money this district loses today
Raw output sold cheap, value added elsewhere — each gap below is an opening for a local business.
Resources
What this district has
Tap a category to see the facts and figures underneath. Numbers marked unverified are AI-extracted and need a sourcing pass.
About Katihar
Katihar district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state in India, and Katihar city is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district is a part of Purnia Division. It is prominently known for its Katihar Junction Railway Station, which is a Category A1 station on the Barauni–Guwahati line. It has been included in the Aspirational Districts Program of the Government of India since 2018, to improve its socio-economic indicators. Katihar was the largest maize producing district of Bihar in 2022.
Source: Wikipedia — Katihar district
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