Patna: Residents of Patna will be able to take a helicopter tour of the state capital for Rs2,100 per person from July 15, CM Samrat Choudhary announced on Monday. He said the Bihar govt would also share part of the expenditure for the service, aimed at promoting local tourism and improving public access to key destinations.Choudhary said helicopter trips would also be offered to Rajgir, Maa Mundeshwari temple in Kaimur, Tutla Bhawani temple near Tilouthu, and Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve area at Rs6,000 per passenger. The announcement was made after he jointly inaugurated the regional office of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad, at Matsya Vikas Bhawan in Mithapur with Union minister for panchayati raj, fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lalan Singh.After the inauguration, Choudhary inspected the NFDB regional office, reviewed the arrangements there, and visited an exhibition set up on the premises. Addressing the gathering, he said fish production must be expanded in every panchayat and block of Bihar. He called for a rural marketing plan based on the ‘haat’ concept, under which milk, vegetables and fish could be sold together so farmers receive direct benefits.The CM said the cooperative department would have an important role in this effort, and cooperative societies could be assigned specific targets to increase fish output. He said the opening of the NFDB regional office would accelerate growth in the state’s fisheries sector.Choudhary also said several districts in Bihar have ponds that can be developed for dual use, with fish farming below and solar power generation above. He said Bihar was moving towards self-reliance in fish production, with local fish farmers now meeting 95% of the state’s demand.However, he said, the state must now aim to export fish beyond Bihar, including to neighbouring Jharkhand and Nepal. He said Bihar should focus on producing boneless and superior-quality fish for consumers in India and abroad. Choudhary added that the state would work collectively to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India and former CM Nitish Kumar’s vision of a prosperous Bihar.
