Bihar Diwas: Nitish calls for environment protection, social amity

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said the state was passionately and diligently engaged in reviving its past glory, drawing inspiration from its illustrious past to work on a roadmap for a developed and prosperous Bihar with amity in the society.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said the state was passionately and diligently engaged in reviving its past glory, drawing inspiration from its illustrious past to work on a roadmap for a developed and prosperous Bihar with amity in the society.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar inaugurates Bihar Diwas 2022 at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Tuesday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

He was speaking after inaugurating the Bihar Diwas function at Gandhi Maidan in the state capital. The theme for this year is Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali. Incidentally, March 22 is also observed across the globe as World Water Day. Several departments put up their pavilions at the venue. A drone show was also organised to mark the occasion.

The function, which will continue for three days, has been held on a big scale after three years due to Covid disruption. In 2021, the CM had addressed people on Bihar Diwas through video conferencing. The Governor, Phagu Chouhan, will be the chief guest at the concluding function.

Bihar was notified as a separate province on March 22, 1922, and soon after Nitish Kumar assumed power, he decided to celebrate it as “Bihar Day”.

“Bihar is the confluence of many religions and has given luminaries in every field. That is its beauty. Bihar Diwas is today the most eagerly awaited event. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several others extended their greetings today and that speaks volumes of the importance of the day. It is an occasion to strengthen Bihari bonding and making people aware of our ancient glory and present progress to once again achieve that,” said the CM.

Kumar also cautioned against attempts to fan tension in the society. “We must strive to maintain communal harmony and brotherhood. Bihar has miles to go. Efforts are on in all directions. The most important thing today is to make people aware of the challenges of climate change and that is why the theme of Bihar Diwas this year is ‘Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali’. Life is safe only when water and greenery are intact and it is a global issue,” Kumar said, while listing his measures to rejuvenate water bodies in the state.

Indian ambassador to South Africa, Jagdeep Sarkar, also spoke on the occasion and talked about Bihar’s rich potential as a tourist destination and how it efforts were on to explore it through specialised packages.

Bihar 30 years ahead of India in climate protection: UNEP official

Environmentalist and India head of the United Nations Environment Programme, Atul Bagai on Tuesday said Bihar was 30 years ahead of the country in the sphere of climate protection and it was striving to achieve net zero carbon emission by 2040, while India strives to achieve it in 2070.

He was speaking at a seminar in New Delhi organised by Bihar’s information and public relations department on the occasion of Bihar Diwas. Water resources minister Sanjay Kumar Jha was the chief guest on the occasion.

Jha said that in an agricultural state like Bihar, “water to every farm” initiative of the Nitish government was a game changer in giving a boost to the rural economy.

President, PM greet Bihar people

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended their greetings on the occasion of Bihar Diwas.

President Kovind tweeted in Hindi, “Greetings to the people of the state on Bihar Day! Bihar has a glorious past and rich cultural heritage. The hardworking and talented people here have contributed significantly to the development of the country. As the Governor of Bihar, I have received immense affection from the people here. My best wishes on this special occasion.”

PM Modi tweeted in Hindi, “Happy Bihar Day to all the brothers and sisters of Bihar. I wish that this state, rich in historical and cultural heritage, continues to set new records of development.”