Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written a letter urging Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to submit a proposal for the development of Mahendragiri under Ramayan Circuit of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme.
He said that while the Centre had asked the state government to submit a proposal regarding the same, the state has not yet done so.
"The Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India has identified various sites in Odisha for development of tourism facilities under its Swadesh Darshan Scheme namely Mahendragidi under Ramayan Circuit, Puri under Krishna Circuit and Gopalpur, Barkul. Satapada and Tampara under Coastal Circuit," he wrote in the letter dated September 4.
Urging the state government's intervention, the Union Minister of Petroleum said, "The Centre had sanctioned an amount of Rs, 70.82 crore for the development of Gopalpur, Borkul, Salapada and Tampara under coastal circuit of the Swadeshi Darshan Scheme in 2016-17. It is pertinent to mention that the Ministry of Tourism and Culture requested the Odisha government to submit the proposal for the development of Mahendragiri under Ramayan Circuit of the Swadeshi Darshan Scheme. However, the state government is yet to submit it."
"In the Puranas and Ramayana, it is said that Parshurama was meditating on Mahendragiri when Lord Rama broke the sacred bow of Lord Shiva. Legend says Prashurama stays at Mahnedragiri eternally and performs tapas. Mahendragiri is home to temples and is believed to have been built by the Pandavas, where the festival of Shivratri is celebrated with fervour. Mahendragiri has a huge potential for the development of socio-cultural tourism owing to its religious significance. Tourism development at Mohendragiri will create many jobs in the region and drive economic development for the people," the minister said.
"I request your personal intervention in extending support to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and direct the department concerned to submit the proposal for the development of Mahendragi under Ramayan Circuit," Pradhan wrote in his letter.
( With inputs from ANI )
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