Patna: The chief minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, on Friday met Indian Forest Service (IFS) trainee officers of the 2024 batch and emphasised the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable development.
The meeting took place at Sankalp Sabhagar at 1 Anne Marg in Patna, where four trainee officers — Himanshu Dwivedi, Prince Kumar Singh, Ravinder Kumar Verma and Yogesh Borkar — interacted with the chief minister.
During the interaction, Nitish Kumar highlighted the state government’s efforts to increase forest cover, noting that Bihar’s green cover had risen from 9% to 17% over the years. He urged the officers to actively contribute to further expanding forest areas across the state.
He also pointed to declining rainfall patterns in Bihar, stressing the need for effective water conservation measures to maintain groundwater balance in the future. Addressing urban challenges, he called for greater public awareness to tackle rising pollution levels in cities.
The chief minister advised the trainee officers to carry out their duties with sensitivity, honesty, discipline and dedication, and to play a meaningful role in the development of both the state and the country.
Several senior officials were present at the meeting, including Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and senior bureaucrats from the environment, forest and chief minister’s office.
Officials said the interaction was part of the trainees’ exposure to governance and policy priorities before their field postings.
