A view of the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya in Bihar
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy
The Bihar Government has issued a new directive to State Government employees to undertake a mandatory two-day, two-night visit to State tourist destinations with their families once every three months and submit feedback reports to the Government on how to promote them. Travel by State Government employees, said the Government directive, is preferably scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays.
According to the new order issued by the Additional Chief Secretary of the General Administration Department (GAD) on May 20, Government employees have also been directed to visit at least three tourist spots comprising eco-tourism or rural tourism sites in districts other than their home district during each trip and stay overnight in the area. The duration of the travel and stay will be officially recognised as time spent on duty, said the directive.
After the visit, the employees must submit a report comprising their personal experiences, details of the destinations visited and photographs to their respective department heads or the District Magistrate, the directive said. The Government officials “will be barred from conducting review meetings, inspections or operating from officials’ residences during their visits to the tourist spots of the State”.
“The initiative by the State Government is to boost local tourist infrastructure, local economies, generate authentic regional and cultural experiences along with collecting feedback from officials visiting the spots for their development,” said a senior Government employee on Tuesday, preferring anonymity, on the new GAD directive.
To streamline the process, nodal officers will be appointed in the offices of District Magistrates, Divisional Commissioners and department heads, where these officers will compile the submitted reports and forward them to the departments of Tourism, Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Arts, Culture and Youth.
The GAD order issued by GAD Additional Chief Secretary B. Rajender has already been sent to all department heads, Divisional Commissioners, District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police, the officer added further.
“Since Bihar is rich in cultural diversity, environmental heritage and has historically significant tourist destinations, there are several sites that can emerge as major national and international tourism hubs. Encouraging officials to visit such places and submit suggestions will aid tourism development and related infrastructure”, the senior Government official said.
“I welcome the new directive by the State Government as it will certainly improve our rich heritage of art and culture spread across the State. The art and Culture department will definitely get a boost through such an exercise of the Government,” Pramod Kumar Chandravanshi, the Art, Culture and Youth Department Minister, told The Hindu.
Published – May 27, 2026 10:43 am IST
