Patna, Nov 7 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Saturday participated in a grand Deepotsav in Kalyanpur, his home district of Munger, where 11,11,111 earthen lamps were illuminated along the banks of the Ganga a day before Diwali.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the event by lighting the first lamp at the premises of the Maa Badi Durga Maharani temple.
The grand celebration witnessed considerable public participation, with the riverbank illuminated by thousands of lamps.
On the occasion, CM Choudhary offered prayers to Goddess Lakshmi for the prosperity, happiness and well-being of the people of Bihar.
He said that Diwali symbolises the victory of truth over falsehood and extended festive greetings to the people of the state.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister announced that construction of an 83-km-long Marine Drive connecting Munger and Bhagalpur would begin within the next two months.
He added that soil erosion caused by the Ganga had been damaging agricultural land and crops, affecting farmers in several areas.
The proposed Marine Drive is expected to contribute to regional development while addressing some of the challenges faced by the riverbank areas.
Referring to the problems associated with the Farakka Barrage and the accumulation of silt in the Ganga, Chief Minister Choudhary said efforts were underway to find a lasting solution.
He added that an agreement was reached with the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on November 2 to utilise silt removed from the Ganga in Bihar for road construction projects.
The Chief Minister also said that instructions had been issued to develop arrangements for channelising Ganga water to dams across the state.
Highlighting the state government’s industrial development agenda, CM Choudhary said efforts were being made to establish industries through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to generate employment opportunities for Bihar’s youth within the state.
He said his priority was to ensure that young people could find employment in their home state rather than migrate elsewhere in search of a livelihood.
Describing himself as a son of Munger, Samrat Choudhary said that he was serving as the Chief Minister of Bihar with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar.
He also thanked the people of Munger district and the Bhagalpur division for their support in the elections.
–IANS
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