More pilgrimage development panels to be set up

Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the concept of setting up pilgrimage development authorities helps in involving the localities in administration and improvement of the region and the State government was contemplating establishing more such panels.

Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Jayachandra, who also holds the Muzrai portfolio, said development authorities with the chief minister as its ex-officio chairman have been set up in Kaginele, Koodalasangama and Male Mahadeshwara for the development and maintenance of the pilgrimage  sites.

“We are monitoring the functioning of the authorities. We are confident that these authorities will help in improving the pilgrimage sites in their jurisdiction,” the minister said.

Jayachandra said he would soon talk to his counterparts in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra to end the dispute over the ownership of land belonging to the State government in Tirupati and Pandharpur.

“We own eight acres of land in Tirupati, but it is embroiled in legal tangles following cases filed by the Andhra Pradesh government. We will try to clear the dispute so that the land could be utilised for providing accommodation and other facilities to pilgrims from the State,” Jayachandra said.