Patna : Bihar’s Tourism Minister, Raju Kumar Singh, chaired a departmental review meeting at the Tourism Directorate auditorium on Thursday, marking his first such meeting since taking office. He was welcomed by Tourism Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh, who provided an overview of the department’s structure, operations, and ongoing initiatives through a PowerPoint presentation.
During the meeting, the minister outlined key priorities to accelerate tourism development in Bihar. He directed officials to ensure the timely completion of projects approved under the Pragati Yatra of the Chief Minister. He also emphasized the need to expedite the tender process for the construction of three five-star hotels in Patna.
A strong push was given to implementing the state’s tourism policy effectively, with a focus on attracting greater investment. The minister also suggested exploring grants for marriage hall-related projects under the policy framework.
Addressing manpower concerns, he instructed officials to fast-track recruitment for engineering posts in the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC).
Plans to celebrate traditional fairs and festivals with grandeur were also discussed. Specific attention was given to the upcoming Vaishali Mahotsav 2025, with directions to work in coordination with the Vaishali district administration for seamless organization. Additionally, the minister stressed the need to acquire land at historically and culturally significant locations to enhance tourism infrastructure.
To improve accessibility and convenience for visitors, he called for the development of tour packages covering major tourist destinations and the display of tourism maps and information at key public locations.
In a significant move, the minister instructed officials to explore steamer services connecting Digha Ghat to Hariharnath Temple in Sonpur and Digha Ghat to Kangan Ghat, aiming to boost water-based tourism in the state.
The meeting was attended by Tourism Director Udayan Mishra, BSTDC Managing Director Nand Kishore, General Manager Chandan Chauhan, Chief Engineer Ashok Kumar, Deputy Secretary Indu Kumari, and other senior officials from the department.
