Climate fund to help increase state’s green cover: Dy CM

Patna: Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Choudhary on Sunday said the Bihar govt was treating climate change as a serious and sensitive issue, and asserted that the newly-created Bihar Green Climate Fund (BGCF) would play a key role in expanding the state’s green cover.

Talking to reporters at a press conference at the JD(U) office here, Choudhary said the fund reflected the govt’s commitment to tackling climate change and strengthening long-term environmental action.

He said the BGCF, established under the leadership of CM Samrat Choudhary, is aimed at supporting initiatives that will increase Bihar’s green cover in the coming years. According to him, the creation of the fund demonstrates how seriously the state govt is approaching the challenge at a time when climate impacts are being felt globally and solutions are being debated at international forums.

The dy CM detailed the proposed revenue streams for the fund. The BGCF will be financed through a 0.25% cess on the total value of bids and agreements across all state works departments, a 0.5% cess on sand and gravel mining royalties, and a 1% cess on the registration fees of new vehicles, with exemptions provided for electric vehicles. He added that the corpus will also be supported by voluntary contributions from the public and corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding from industries.

Calling the govt’s approach proactive, the dy CM said Bihar’s efforts to contain climate change were “exemplary” in the current global context. He also recalled former CM Nitish Kumar’s environmental initiatives, particularly the ‘Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan’ launched in 2019, which he described as a successful model for climate action. He said Nitish had launched the mission after extensive consultations with legislators, even when many parts of the world were still debating how to respond to climate change.

The dy CM said it was a matter of happiness that the present govt, led by Samrat Choudhary, was continuing to work on the principles and methods laid down during the Nitish’s rule. He also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to reduce vehicular usage and limit convoys, urging citizens to adopt small lifestyle changes that collectively can make a significant difference, and asking industrialists to contribute actively to the cause.