By IANS,
Patna : Nepali Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai Friday inaugurated the second global meet on changing Bihar here to discuss ways to accelerate the momentum of high growth and development strategies for the eastern Indian state.
Bhattarai, on his first visit to Bihar, formally innaugrated the meet in the presence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, dignitaries from 24 countries and hundreds of NRIs.
Accompanied by a 17-member delegation, the Nepali prime minister arrived here Friday morning on a day-long visit.
The first global meet on Resurgent Bihar held in 2006.
An official in the chief minister’s office said that meet’s motive is to focus on changing Bihar and establish Bihar as a brand.
“The changing face of Bihar will help the state in coming days in field of investments to brand value,” the official said.
According to officials, Bihar has recorded 10.5 percent growth in gross domestic product in last five fiscals, improved law and order, has seen an increase in literacy rate and roads being built while immunisation has crossed the national average.
The Bihar Foundation, along with Patna-based Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) and New Delhi-based Institute for Human Development (IHD), is organising the meet Feb 17-19.
According to officials, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahulwalia, commission member Abhijeet Sen, Infosys former chief N.R. Narayana Murthy, IT major Wipro Technologies chairman Azim Premji, Aditya Birla group chairman Kumar Manglam Birla, Reserve Bank of India Governor D.Subba Rao, Securities and Exchange Board of India chairman U.K. Sinha, economist Lord Meghnad Desai, lyrist Javed Akhtar, Bollywood actor Sharmila Tagore, and filmmaker Prakash Jha are attending the meet.