Patna, May 2: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said he would follow the Bhutan model of gross national happiness as an index of the state’s well-being.

He said he was so impressed by the concept that he would try and learn it during his three-day tour to Bhutan this month. He is scheduled to leave for Bhutan on May 4 and return to Patna on May 8.

Speaking on the sidelines of his janata darbar, Nitish said: “We shall surely try and follow Bhutan’s happiness theory which is very famous all over the world. Happiness is shared and distributed among the citizens. The concept will bring holistic changes (in Bihar) and help the build peace, social order, besides accelerating the economic growth.”

He said: “I will try to understand how gross national happiness is measured and what are its criteria. Gross national happiness has helped people of Bhutan make their life better and I would like to understand the whole mantra behind the concept. Bihar has close relations with Bhutan. The cultural and historic ties between the two are very strong. Bihar too has sentimental relations with the country as a lot of tourists visit Bodhgaya, Rajgir and Nalanda. In fact, the Bhutan government has proposed to make a monastery in Rajgir and the state government will surely provide land for it.”

Bhutan’s gross national happiness is a policy announced by former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck to try and reflect the true quality of life in a more holistic manner.

Nitish said when Bhutan home and cultural minister Lyonpo Minjur Dorjee visited the state in February, he conveyed his Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley’s request for him to visit the country.

He also said the Union foreign ministry and the central government have given their consent to make a three-day tour to Bhutan.

Speaking about the power scenario in the state, Nitish said: “India has signed agreements with Bhutan in the power sector that have helped the country have its own hydel power production. Similarly, Bihar shall also get a major chunk of power being availed by Bhutan. There were several hydel power projects in Bhutan set up by the support of the Indian government. I will personally visit some of the hydel power plants in over there.”

Nitish said Bihar Tourism Corporation would hold an exhibition in Bhutan to share the cultural ethos with each other. Principal secretary of energy department Ajay V. Nayak, principal secretary of the tourism department Deepak Kumar and information and public relations department secretary Rajesh Bhusan will accompany him. He had earlier declined to take any minister with him during the tour.

Nitish said he would also be going on a six-day tour to China from June 13 to June 18. He added that the central government has given its consent to the tour.