Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Kicks Off State Level Forest Festival-2024 with Mango Planting

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched the State Level Forest Festival-2024 by planting a Maldah Mango sapling at his residence, 1 Ane Marg on Monday. The event, organized by the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (DoEFCC), marks a significant step in the state’s ongoing efforts to increase green cover.

In his address, Nitish urged citizens to actively participate in the campaign by planting saplings in and around their homes. He highlighted the state’s commitment to environmental sustainability, noting the inception of tree plantation drives in 2012, which was later bolstered by the Jal-Jivan-Hariyali Abhiyan initiative in 2019.

Joining the Chief Minister in the tree planting ceremony were Dr. Prem Kumar, Minister, DoEFCC Minister, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Water Resources Department Minister, and Deepak Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister. They planted a variety of saplings including mango, amla, and vine. Senior officials like Chief Secretary Brajesh Mehrotra and Development Commissioner Chaitanya Prasad also took part in the event, planting saplings to contribute to the festival’s success.

The state government has set an ambitious target of planting 5 crore saplings this year and is calling for widespread public involvement to achieve this goal. During the ceremony, Minister Prem Kumar presented a green sapling to the Chief Minister as a symbol of the initiative.

The event was attended by top officials, including the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF) of Bihar, and other senior members from the DoEFCC. Their participation underscores the administration’s dedication to environmental conservation and the enhancement of the state’s green cover.