New Delhi. Aug 29 (IANS): President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted the nation on the occasion of hindu festival Raksha Bandhan.
In his message, Mukherjee said: "The thread of Rakhi (sacred thread) binds sisters and brothers in an inseparable bond of love and trust. May we all pledge to dedicate ourselves to the well-being of women of India particularly the girl child."
In a tweet Modi said: "On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan I extend my greetings to all the citizens of India."
Raksha Bandhan celebrates the love and duty between brothers and sisters.
On the festival, sisters tie a rakhi on her brothers' wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brothers' well-being and the brothers' lifelong vow to protect her.
Nitish Kumar ties rakhi to a tree to create environmental awareness: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday employed a novel method to create public awareness on environmental protection by tying a rakhi on a tree on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan and urged the people to protect Bihar's green cover.
"People should come forward to plant more trees and protect them for a healthy environment," Nitish Kumar said after tying a 'rakhi' on a tree at Rajdhani Vatika at Patna.
Clad in his trademark white cotton kurta-pyjama, the Chief Minister said: "I request people with folded hands to tie 'rakhis' to trees to protect the environment. It will be a new beginning to save the earth and human beings."
Nitish Kumar said the State government had encouraged and helped people plant trees and protect the green cover of the State.
Several people, including leaders of the ruling Janata Dal-United, government officials and schoolchildren were present on the occasion.
A few years ago, Nitish Kumar launched a green drive to increase the State's forest cover more than five-fold to 35 percent in a decade.
The green drive is the brainchild of the Chief Minister, who was impressed by Dharhara, a small village 230 km east of Patna in Bhagalpur district. The village hit the headlines two years ago after villagers planted fruit trees, including mango and litchi, to celebrate the birth of every girl child there. Their endeavour made the village a green haven.
According to official data, the State has nearly 9 percent forest cover. Forest officials admit that Bihar lost most of its green cover when the State of Jharkhand was carved out of it in 2000.
Undivided Bihar had a forest cover of 17 percent.
