Patna, April 17 (IANS) The Bihar cabinet has declared sparrow as the state animal, marigold as the state flower and peepal as the state tree, an official said Wednesday.

"The state cabinet approved the proposal late Tuesday. They will be (now) used as state symbols," Brajesh Mehrotra, cabinet secretary, said.

He said the government took the decision to help conserve these species and to provide protection to them.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who also heads the state wildlife board, had proposed to notify the house sparrow as the state bird after expressing concern over its dwindling numbers earlier this year.

Bihar celebrates March 20 as "sparrow day" every year.

According to bird expert Arvind Mishra, fast urbanisation and the installation of large numbers of mobile towers was a major factor for the dwindling population of the sparrow in the state.