State to have Yatri Nivas at pilgrim centres in M'rashtra

The State government will construct ‘Yatri Nivas’ at pilgrim centres in southern Maharashtra at a cost of Rs 15 crore to help devotees from Karnataka, said Small Scale Industries, Muzrai and Sugar Minister Prakash Hukkeri.

Hukkeri told reporters on Wednesday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had responded positively to the demand of constructing Yatri Nivas in the neighbouring state’s pilgrim centres and a provision for the same would be made in the budget.

The Yatri Nivas will come up at Narsimhawadi Datta Temple, Pandharpur Vittal-Rukmai Temple, Tuljapur Amba Bhavani Temple and Guddapur Danammadevi Temple. Devotees from the State, in large numbers, visit these pilgrimage centres and construction works for the Yatri Nivas will commence in 2013-14, he said.

Efforts would be made to make the Miraj-Yeshwantpur train services regular. Presently, it has been plying three days a week, the minister said.

Discussions have been held with the chief minister for increasing the aid given to small scale industries from Rs 10 crore to Rs 25 crore, he said.

After elections to the urban local bodies, the government has released Rs 6.35 crore for the development of Chikodi town. Special grants of Rs one crore have been sanctioned by the Finance department for the underground drainage system. Under the Nagarothan scheme, approval had been given for works costing Rs five crore, he said.

A decision on providing basic infrastructure to the town would be taken after holding talks with elected representatives and residents, Hukkeri said.