UP govt allocates Rs 2,500 crore for Maha Kumbh Mela 2025

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government in its budget presented on Wednesday allocated Rs 2,500 crore for the preparations of Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 against Rs 621.55 crore for the financial year 2022-23.

The religious fair is held after every 12 years. A state government official said the work on widening and beautifying three access roads in Ayodhya will be finished within the next two years. ''In anticipation of a potential increase in tourism brought on by the construction of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in the district of Ayodhya, it is planned that work on widening and beautifying three access roads will be finished within the next two years,'' Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said while presenting the budget. ''An arrangement of Rs 50 crore as a grant for developing basic infrastructure facilities in religious and historically significant urban bodies of the state. A provision of Rs 1,000 crore has been proposed for the development of roads related to religious relevance,'' he said.

A provision of Rs 2,500 crore has been made in the budget for the grand event of the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, compared to Rs 621.55 crore in the year 2022-23, he said. The renovation and beautification process of Maa Vindhyavasini Devi Temple, Maa Ashtabhuji Devi Temple and Kali Khoh Temple in Mirzapur district is also under progress, Khanna added. A proposal for the establishment of 'Bhajan Sandhya Sthal' in Prayagraj district and veda science study centre in Naimisharanya, a famous 'taposthali' (hot spot) in Sitapur has also been made, he said. He said in 2022, more than 24 crore 87 lakh tourists visited Uttar Pradesh, of which more than 4 lakh 10 thousand were foreigners. Tourism development and beautification of Ayodhya, Varanasi, Chitrakoot, Vindhyachal, Prayagraj, Naimisharanya, Gorakhpur, Mathura, Bateshwar Dham and other important tourist places are also under progress, he said.

The development, renovation and beautification work costing Rs 300 crore is being carried out under the chief minister's tourism promotion scheme, the finance minister said. The Yogi Aditynath-led state government has arranged Rs 50 crore in the current financial year for the integrated tourism development of Shakti Peeth Maa Shakumbhari Devi Temple and Rs 40 crore for the integrated development of Prayagraj. Khanna said Rs 40 crore has been arranged for the integrated tourism development of the Buddhist Circuit and Rs 40 crore for Bundelkhand. Besides, Rs 10 crore has been proposed for the integrated tourism development of Shukratirth Dham. A provision of Rs 2.50 crore has been made for the establishment of Uttar Pradesh Eco Tourism, Lucknow Board and Rs 2.50 crore for Shri Naimisharanya Dham Teerth Vikas Parishad.