Bihar IT department celebrates 150 years

PATNA: To celebrate the 150 glorious years of Income-Tax department, a three-day art workshop began here on Saturday at the College of Art and Crafts. It will continue till February 14.

Ten contemporary artists from Patna, four folk artists from Madhubani and three students of the college are participating in the workshop. The works of these artists will be exhibited in a three-day exhibition beginning February 25, scheduled to be inaugurated by the governor of Bihar.

The workshop was inaugurated jointly by Padmashri Mahasundari Devi from Madhubani, Padmashri Gajendra Narayan Singh and chief commissioner, income-tax, Patna, Tarkeshwar Singh.

The I-T department is organising similar art workshops in 16 other state capitals on the occasion of its 150 years.

The selected works of artists from all the participating states will be displayed in a final exhibition to be organised in Delhi in July this year.

“The motive behind organising this workshop is to show people our work, achievements and to bring forward talents of our country and provide them a common platform,” said Tarkeshwar Singh.

“This is the first time when any government body has organised such a workshop. Art and society are inter-related, so this workshop will put forward all the efforts of IT department through the medium of paint and brush,” said Prof Shyam Sharma, convenor of the workshop.

On July 24, 1860, James Wilson, the first finance minister in council introduced IT department in India. During these 150 years, I-T department has travelled a long journey in resource mobilization from Rs 1.33 crore in 1860-61 to about 380 thousand crore in 2009-10.