Patna: The state govt has allocated more than Rs 8 crore for organising four major fairs in the state during the current financial year, with over Rs 2 crore proposed for the upcoming Shravani Mela, officials said on Friday.The allocation for the Shravani Mela, one of Bihar’s largest annual religious gatherings, is in the final stage of approval and is expected to be released to the districts concerned shortly.Among the fairs that have already received funding, the Rajgir Malmas Mela has been allotted the highest amount, receiving more than Rs 4 crore. Separate allocations have also been made for the Veer Laurik Mela and the Ram Navami Mela in Darbhanga.Officials of the revenue and land reforms department said the funds had been released to the districts where the fairs are being organised to ensure smooth arrangements and management.Bihar hosts around four dozen fairs every year, many of them rooted in the state’s religious, cultural and historical traditions. More than a dozen of these have been accorded the status of state fairs.While a few fairs are organised by the tourism department, most are conducted under the supervision of the revenue and land reforms department.Revenue and land reforms minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal said the govt was making sustained efforts to ensure the smooth and successful conduct of major fairs across the state by providing the necessary financial support and administrative assistance.
