PATNA, May 2: The Samrat Choudhary-led NDA government in Bihar has renamed two prominent institutions in the state capital, marking an early administrative shift after the BJP assumed the Chief Minister’s post for the first time in the state.
According to an official statement issued after the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday evening, the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park has been renamed Patna Zoo, restoring its original identity, while the Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Dairy Technology will now be known as the Bihar State Institute of Dairy Technology.
The decision was taken during the second cabinet meeting of the newly formed government, though the administration has maintained a low-key approach and avoided giving the move any political overtones.
The biological park, established in 1973 as Patna Zoo, was renamed in 1980 following the death of Congress leader Sanjay Gandhi during the tenure of then Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra. Notably, successive governments led by Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar had retained the name despite their opposition to the Congress and the Emergency-era policies associated with Gandhi.
Sources suggest that while the current move reflects a shift in administrative priorities, the government has, for now, refrained from renaming institutions after leaders associated with the BJP. Any such decisions, it is learnt, may be taken later in consultation with alliance partners.
The NDA coalition in Bihar includes the BJP, JD(U), LJP (Ram Vilas), HAM(S), and RLM, with most allies identifying with socialist traditions—making calibrated decision-making crucial for coalition stability.
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who recently won the vote of confidence in the Assembly, has emphasised continuity in governance. He has reiterated a firm stance on crime, corruption, and communal harmony, while signalling that the government will gradually establish its own governance imprint without disrupting alliance dynamics.
In addition to the renaming decisions, the cabinet also approved several development proposals, including ambitious road infrastructure projects along the Ganga and a plan to establish model schools in every block, underlining the government’s focus on connectivity and education.
The developments indicate a careful balancing act by the new dispensation—blending continuity with calibrated change as it settles into governance in Bihar.
