News Analysis | BJD on temple development spree in Odisha
The Hindu
Move is widely seen as bid to beat BJP at its own game
Unfazed by controversies over the vicinity development of the Jagannath Temple in Puri and the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, the Naveen Patnaik government has continued to pump in massive funds for the facelift of Hindu religious places across Odisha, a move widely perceived as beating the BJP at its own game.
Mr. Patnaik inaugurated the newly developed Tara Tarini Temple on the bank of Rushikulya River in his home district of Ganjam on May 18, the fifth and concluding day of special pujas.
Redeveloped at an estimated expenditure of ₹115 crore, the ancient temple has been given several tourist amenities such as drinking water facility, restrooms, state-of-the-art lighting systems and new roads and ropeway.
Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro and Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha and a group of MLAs accompanied the Chief Minister to the place.
“Odisha is the land of gods. The tradition of Shakti Puja in Odisha is very old. In the villages of Odisha, worshipping of deities has been going on since time immemorial,” said Mr. Patnaik.
On his return to the State capital, the Odisha CM did not waste time in approving the development of the Chandi Temple in Cuttack at an estimated expenditure of ₹70 crore.
The project is part of ‘Integrated development of heritage, monuments and tourist destinations’ being taken up by the 5T (Transparency, technology, teamwork, time and transformation) Department helmed by V. K. Pandian, the CM’s trusted lieutenant.
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