Bengaluru, March 6 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced several initiatives for the development of temples, pilgrim facilities and religious infrastructure while presenting the State Budget in the Legislative Assembly.

The Chief Minister said the government will provide financial assistance of Rs 5,000 each to pilgrims from Karnataka visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple.

A grant of Rs 5 crore has been earmarked for the scheme, and the assistance will be transferred directly to beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.

Siddaramaiah also announced the implementation of the Jala Nidhi Kalyani Rejuvenation Scheme to revitalise 259 temple kalyanis under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Institutions Department over a period of three years. An allocation of Rs 5 crore has been made for the project.

To improve infrastructure and ensure comprehensive development of major pilgrimage centres, the government will establish development authorities for Kukke Shri Subramanya Temple and Kolluru Shri Mookambika Temple, the CM stated.

The government will also undertake renovation and reconstruction of Karnataka guest houses located at pilgrimage centres outside the State. A new choultry will be constructed in Varanasi as the existing facility is in a dilapidated condition. Similarly, the existing choultry on land belonging to the Raghavendra Swamy temple in Mantralaya in Andhra Pradesh will be renovated, he stated.

In addition, a new Yatri Nivas will be constructed in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh, while the existing choultry in Tulajapur in Maharashtra will be reconstructed to provide better accommodation and facilities for pilgrims, CM Siddaramaiah stated.

The Chief Minister further said that a students’ hostel and a commercial complex will be constructed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model on land belonging to the department at the Bandi Seshamma Choultry near Kempegowda Circle in Bengaluru. The project aims to better utilise the property while supporting educational and commercial activities in the area, he stated.

Counselling system will be implemented for transfer of the officers and staff of the department, he stated.

The construction works of ‘Anubhava Mantapa’ taken up by Basavakalyana Development Board is in the final stage. The remaining works will be completed in this year and will be opened to the public, he stated.

–IANS

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