Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary on Sunday directed officials to accelerate the development of eco-tourism infrastructure around state-owned water bodies under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The directions were issued during a high-level review meeting on eco-tourism held at the Sankalp Kaksh inside the Chief Minister’s official residence in Patna.
Eco-Tourism Facilities Planned Around Ponds And Reservoirs
During the meeting, the Chief Minister said eco-tourism facilities should be developed around all ponds, reservoirs and wetlands owned by the state government.
He instructed officials to ensure the creation of:
- tourism amenities
- recreational infrastructure
- green zones and plantation areas
while also incorporating public suggestions into the planning process.
Officials from the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Water Resources Department presented detailed proposals and action plans related to eco-tourism expansion.
The presentations were made by:
- Additional chief secretary (environment, forests and climate change) Anand Kishor
- Secretary (water resources) Chandrashekhar Singh
Tourism Packages To Be Developed
CM Samrat Chaudhary directed departments to quickly formulate tourism packages aimed at attracting visitors to eco-tourism destinations across the state.
He said the initiative would:
- strengthen local economies
- generate employment opportunities
- promote Bihar as a major tourism destination
The Chief Minister added that Bihar possessed immense untapped potential in:
- spiritual tourism
- cultural tourism
- eco-tourism
and stressed the need for rapid development in these sectors.
Plantation Drives And Wetland Development Planned
The Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change was instructed to undertake large-scale plantation drives around water bodies and wetlands.
Officials were also directed to:
- systematically organise wetland areas
- develop tourism-related infrastructure
- improve greenery around reservoirs and ponds
The government said the measures would contribute to:
- expansion of green cover
- water conservation
- environmental sustainability
Senior Officials Attend Review Meeting
The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including:
- Principal Secretary to CM Deepak Kumar
- Secretary (tourism) Lokesh Kumar Singh
- OSD to CM, Gopal Singh
Officials said the proposed projects would be developed in phases and were expected to enhance Bihar’s tourism profile while supporting ecological conservation efforts.
