West Singhbhum district in the Kolhan region, known for iron-ore reserves, mining and dense forests, could also turn into a rice-producing hub sometime in the future with Jharkhand Industrial Area Development Authority (JIADA-Adityapur) planning to set up a mega rice mill there.

In a first of its kind in the state, the proposed rice mill will be set up at Sialdiha village in Jagannathpur block, about 120 km from here. Spread over a three-acre government plot, the mill will have a capacity to produce 8 metric tonne of rice per day.

Ashok Kumar Bihany, consultant for JIADA-Adityapur, said the proposed rice mill was coming up following an initiative taken by the state government.

"An agreement between the JIADA-Adityapur with a local entrepreneur has already been reached for the rice mill project. The mill is expected to come up in a year's time, " said Bihany while talking to The Telegraph Online.

Bihany pointed out that since Jagannathpur block, or any other adjoining block of the district for that matter, wasn't an agricultural zone, the bulk of the paddy would come from neighbouring Odisha for processing at the proposed mill.

"Like the rice mill hub at Chakulia in East Singhbhum's Ghatsila sub-division, with over 40 mills, is fed paddy from neighbouring Bengal, the proposed mill at Sialdiha would be supplied with paddy from neighbouring Odisha," said Bihany.

The Kolhan region comprises the two Singhbhum districts and Seraikela-Kharsawan.