Chief minister Nitish Kumar today said that despite relatively low literacy level in Bihar, people of this state had great appetite for information and general knowledge.
The people of the state were endowed with intellectual understanding despite the relatively low literacy level, Kumar said after inaugurating the 18th annual book fair at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
He said the habit of reading books, newspapers and journals was growing in the state amd Biharis were turning out to be voracious readers.
Kumar stated the book fair was an ideal platform to apprise oneself of the latest publications in various fields and purchase books at a reasonable price and it was incumbent upon the organisers to cater to requirements of the readers by bringing out new books.
The state government will be more than happy to provide logistical support to the book fair organisers to serve academic requirements of the readers, the chief minister said.
Kumar said that the organisers should consider taking the book fairs to the districts and remote areas as there was a growing interest in the books and literary materials among the rural people "consequent to growing literacy rate in the state over the years".
