Patna: Bihar’s Tourism Minister, Arun Shankar Prasad, chaired a departmental review meeting on Saturday at the Tourism Directorate auditorium in Patna, marking his first official interaction with the department since assuming office.
Welcoming the minister, Tourism Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh delivered a detailed presentation outlining the department’s structure, operations, and ongoing schemes. Tourism Director and Special Secretary Udayan Mishra provided further briefings on the state’s key tourist circuits, including the Buddha Circuit, Eco Circuit, Sikh Circuit, Jain Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Sufi Circuit, Shiv Shakti Circuit, and Gandhi Circuit. Officials also discussed the current status of state and central tourism initiatives, expenditures, and schemes announced during the Bihar Chief Minister’s Pragati Yatras, as well as Union Budget allocations for Gayaji, Bodhgaya, and Nalanda-Rajgir.
Addressing the meeting, Minister Prasad described the department’s efforts as “very encouraging” and emphasised the need to enhance Bihar’s tourism infrastructure and visibility. He called for a “100-day roadmap” to strengthen the state’s tourism brand both nationally and globally.
Highlighting employment generation, Prasad urged the department to review current vacancies and submit proposals to maximise job opportunities, stressing that tourism should benefit both permanent and temporary workers as well as local businesses. He also advocated for the development of both luxury and budget hotels to ensure accessibility for all visitors.
The minister noted that Bihar currently ranks tenth in the country in terms of tourist arrivals and set an ambitious target to reach the fifth position within five years.
