Patna, Oct 17 (PTI) Bihar’s green cover has increased from 6 per cent to 15 per cent, while the state’s irrigated area has more than doubled, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said on Saturday.
Interacting with a cycling team led by Padma Bhushan awardee and environmentalist Anil Prakash Joshi at his official residence, Choudhary lauded its efforts to raise awareness about water conservation, river rejuvenation and environmental protection.
“Bihar’s green cover has increased from 6 per cent to 15 per cent. The state’s irrigated area, which had earlier stood at 21 lakh hectares, has now expanded to 44 lakh hectares,” he said.
The chief minister said the state government was promoting eco-tourism, green energy and tree plantation.
Referring to this year’s floods caused by water flowing in from Nepal, Choudhary said an understanding had been reached between Bihar and Jharkhand on the distribution of water from the Gandak, Kosi and Ganga rivers to address the problem.
He said the Indrapuri Barrage would be expanded further and water from the Sone river would be linked to the Falgu river.
Pointing to the efforts to promote women’s empowerment, Choudhary said around 1.81 crore women had joined self-help groups, while 50 lakh women had received financial assistance of Rs 10,000 each.
The government’s objective was to make all women in Bihar financially empowered by 2030, he said.
Choudhary said the state was working to improve irrigation facilities and move towards becoming a developed state.
“Bihar’s historical legacy, including its association with the teachings of Lord Buddha, was also being promoted,” he said.
The chief minister congratulated the cycling team, which is travelling from Janakpur Dham in Nepal to Dehradun through various Indian states, for its efforts to promote environmental awareness. PTI PKD SOM
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.