Nature is God: CM Samrat Choudhary Welcomes Epic Cycle Expedition to Bihar
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary greets the 'Prakriti hi Prabhu hai' cycle team, highlighting the state's rise in green cover and water management.
In a significant gesture toward environmental advocacy, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Saturday welcomed the "Prakriti hi Prabhu hai" (Nature is God) cycle expedition team. The journey, which promotes ecological consciousness, began at Janakpur Dham in Nepal and is traversing several Indian states with the ultimate destination being Dehradun in Uttarakhand.
A Journey for the Planet
Led by the renowned environmentalist and Padma Bhushan awardee Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi, the expedition aims to spread a vital message of river rejuvenation, water conservation, and environmental awareness among the masses. During their meeting with the Chief Minister, the team lauded the Bihar government's unique approach to environmental preservation, suggesting that the state's current initiatives will provide immense benefits for future generations.
"I welcome Dr Anil Prakash Joshi and all members of the team. I extend my best wishes to you for undertaking this journey to carry the message of water conservation, environmental enhancement, river rejuvenation, and environmental awareness to the masses," stated CM Samrat Choudhary.
Bihar's Green Transformation
During the interaction, the Chief Minister highlighted the dramatic shift in Bihar's ecological landscape over the last two decades. He revealed that following the partition of Bihar and Jharkhand, the state's green cover had dwindled to a mere 6 per cent. However, through concerted plantation and water conservation efforts led by former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the late Sushil Kumar Modi, the green cover has now surged to 15 per cent.
The CM also pointed to significant improvements in agricultural infrastructure, noting that irrigated land in Bihar has more than doubled, growing from 21 lakh hectares to 44 lakh hectares.
Tackling Water Woes and Infrastructure
Addressing the challenges of water management, CM Choudhary mentioned that despite a 32 per cent deficit in rainfall this year, the state still faced flood conditions due to water influx from Nepal. To combat this, the government is developing a permanent scheme to manage the waters of the Ganga, Kosi, and Gandak rivers.
Key highlights of the state's water strategy include:
- Inter-state Cooperation: An agreement has been reached with Jharkhand for the sharing of Son River water.
- Strategic Construction: Plans are underway to build the Indrapuri Barrage to link the Son River's water to the Falgu River.
- Energy and Tourism: The state is actively promoting green energy schemes and developing eco-tourism projects.
Empowering the Rural Economy
Beyond the environment, the Chief Minister emphasized that Bihar's development is being balanced with ecological sustainability. He pointed to the rapid progress in rural infrastructure, including high-quality roads and 24-hour uninterrupted power supply to all households.
A major pillar of this growth is the empowerment of rural women. The CM shared impressive statistics regarding self-reliance in the countryside:
- Self-Employment: 1 crore 81 lakh women are currently associated with self-employment initiatives.
- Lakhpati Didis: 50 lakh women have achieved the status of "Lakhpati Didis."
- Pashu Sakhis: The state is in the process of creating 60 lakh "Pashu Sakhis."
The government has set an ambitious target to provide skill training to every woman in Bihar by the year 2030, operating on the philosophy that the improvement of the village economy is the primary driver for the state's overall economic growth.
Concluding the meeting, the Chief Minister expressed openness to the expedition team's suggestions regarding Bihar's development and the environment, wishing them a safe and pleasant journey toward Uttarakhand.