UP Cabinet decides to set up two pilgrimage boards

The decisions are being considered a bid to give a push to BJP govt’s Hindutva agenda ahead of 2022 UP assembly polls

LUCKNOW : The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Friday decided to set up two separate pilgrimage development boards — the Uttar Pradesh Shri Chitrakoot Dham Teerth Vikas Parishad and the Uttar Pradesh Vindhya Dham Teerth Vikas Parishad — for conservation of cultural heritage and development of Chitrakoot and the Vindhyavasini region of Mirzapur as pilgrimage centres of international importance.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath presided over the meeting of the state cabinet that approved the Uttar Pradesh Shri Chitrakoot Dham Teerth Vikas Parishad Bill 2021 and the Uttar Pradesh Vindhya Dham Teerth Vikas Parishad Bill 2021 to be tabled in state legislature to enact a law in this regard. It decided to authorise the chief minister to take any other appropriate decision about both the projects.

The state cabinet’s decisions are being considered an obvious bid to give a push to the BJP government’s Hindutva agenda ahead of the 2022 UP assembly elections.

An official press release said the two boards would work out an action plan for the conservation of the cultural heritage, ecosystem, development, boost tourism and lead to creation of jobs there. The boards will also work out policies and oversee implementation of the action plan. The state government proposes to provide high-level tourism infrastructure, conserve cultural heritage and ecosystem in the Vindhya region as an important centre in the Puranas.

Four-lane road from Yamuna Expressway to Vrindavan

The state cabinet approved an estimated cost of Rs 251 crore for construction of a four-lane road from Yamuna Expressway to Vrindavan and a two-lane bridge on the Yamuna river. It also approved another proposal for construction of a four-lane bypass in Saharanpur to connect NH-709-B and Delhi-Yamunotri road (NH 57) up to Devla there. It also approved an estimated cost of Rs 200.22 crore for the project that is considered important for easing the

traffic congestion in Saharanpur and the pilgrims going to the Shakambhari Devi temple there (in Saharanpur).

HT PHOT0 Chitrakoot is considered to be a prominent religious site in the country as it is believed that Lord Ram had spent most of his time during his 14-year exile in this holy city.