Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on 31 October 2026 launched the UPYOG portal, a shared digital platform built under the National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM), at the ‘Sankalp’ hall in Lok Sevak Awas, Patna. The Bihar UPYOG portal connects all 264 urban local bodies in the state, and its first phase went live with 10 of 19 planned modules.
The launch is the latest step in Bihar’s push to digitise public services, after the state set out plans to attract ₹5 lakh crore in IT investment for AI and digital growth. The Chief Minister’s Office said the portal will make urban services digital, simple, accessible and transparent.
What the Bihar UPYOG portal offers citizens
Through UPYOG, citizens can apply online for municipal services and receive digital certificates without visiting a municipal office. The state government said building plan approval, which used to require repeated trips to municipal corporations, will now be handled online from application to sanction.
The 10 modules live in Phase 1 are:
- Advertisement management
- Trade licence
- Water and sewerage connection management
- Asset management
- Vehicle fleet management
- Municipal accounts and finance management
- Building plan approval
- Legal module
- Material management
- Public grievance redressal
The other nine modules, including property tax and birth and death registration, are due in later phases.
How the launch was conducted
After a live demonstration of the portal, Vinay Kumar, Principal Secretary of the Urban Development and Housing Department (UDHD), briefed him on the portal’s features and rollout plan. Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Urban Development Minister Nitish Mishra and Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit attended the event.
Mayors, deputy mayors, ward councillors and municipal commissioners from across Bihar joined by video conference. The Chief Minister asked them to spread awareness of the portal, saying UPYOG would change how the department works and help citizens get services on time without middlemen.
NBCC agreements for three Patna projects
At the same event, the Bihar government exchanged memoranda of understanding with National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) Limited for three projects:
- A residential project on about 8.5 acres of Bihar State Housing Board land in Sector-5, near the TV Tower in Patna, under an agreement with UDHD.
- A tech park and IT hub at Gardanibagh, Patna, under an agreement between the Information Technology Department and NBCC.
- Redevelopment of Water Resources Department inspection bungalows (IBs) as modern towers.
The state said the projects aim to strengthen urban infrastructure and bring in investment and revenue.
Why UPYOG matters for urban e-governance
UPYOG (Urban Platform for delivery of Online Governance) is an open-source, modular platform developed under the National Urban Digital Mission, which the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in February 2021. The mission is housed at the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), and MoHUA says UPYOG’s services are offered to all 4,800-plus urban local bodies in India.
Several states have already built on the platform. Kerala’s K-SMART runs on it, and the state is now working to fix K-SMART glitches with only 10 of 21 modules complete. Himachal Pradesh adopted it for its statewide e-governance services in urban areas. At the national level, MoHUA recently added digital platforms for municipal finance and project monitoring. NIUA’s UPYOG portal lists Bihar as under implementation for all 19 services.
Key takeaways
- Bihar launched the UPYOG portal under NUDM on 31 October 2026, covering all 264 urban local bodies.
- Phase 1 offers 10 of 19 modules, including trade licence, building plan approval and water and sewerage connections.
- The state also signed agreements with NBCC for housing, an IT hub and new towers in Patna.
FAQ
What is the UPYOG portal in Bihar?
It is a shared platform, built under the National Urban Digital Mission, that lets residents of Bihar’s 264 urban local bodies apply online for municipal services and get digital certificates.
Which services are available on UPYOG in Bihar now?
Phase 1 covers 10 modules, including trade licence, building plan approval, water and sewerage connections and grievance redressal.
Featured image: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary at the UPYOG portal launch in Patna, 31 October 2026. Photo: ETV Bharat