Conversation at Mountain Echoes Literature Festival

Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje suggested sharing little joys with people and said that other countries should learn this from Bhutan. She said that like Bhutan’s focus on high Gross National Happiness, increasing happiness quotient is state’s priority in Rajasthan as well. She said that the initiatives like toy bank, cloth bank and mobile library were bringing cheers on the people’s faces.

Smt. Raje said this in a conversation session ‘Of the People, For the People’ on the second day of Mountain Echoes Literature Festival at Bhutan Royal University in Thimphu on Friday. She was in conversation with Ms. Malvika Singh, Member of Chief Minister’s Advisory Council. She said that there was a lot to learn from Bhutan on how to respect nature, make a lifestyle compatible with ecology and conserve traditional and cultural heritage.

The CM said that in Rajasthan also a concept of sustainable and creative development was being implemented. Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan (MJSA), conservation of traditional skills and heritage were different dimensions of this concept, she said. She further said that Jaipur Literature Festival had become a renowned event the world over. State government had initiated several other such festivals which would promote Rajasthani art and culture at global platform, the CM added.

Smt. Raje said that active public participation was a must for promotion for tourism. The state government painted important railway stations with local fervor to create these as live monuments. Paintings of Badal Mahal and Tiger were carved at Bikaner and Sawai Madhopur stations. Similarly, Jaipur was turned into an open museum of Jogi Art, which was appreciated all over, she said.

The CM shared the concept of different people oriented projects like Sarkar Aapke Dwar, Nyay Aapke Dwar, Aapka Zila Aapki Sarkar. She talked about the women empowerment scheme Bhamashah Yojna, Annapurna Bhandar Yojna, Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojana etc in detail and highlighted the changes being felt by the beneficiaries.

During this, Queen Mother of Bhutan Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, Rajasthan’s Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Smt. Krishnendra Kaur Deepa, Tourism Secretary Smt. Roli Singh, other senior officials and dignitaries were present.

Jaipur/ Thimphu (Bhutan), 26 August 2016