Rs 10 crore allocated for this year's Dasara

The govt aims at improving the grandeur of the nine-day celebrations to commence from Oct 5

With good rains and waterfalls in Mysore district and the surrounding areas in full glory drawing huge crowds, Mysore is expected to attract more visitors during this year's Dasara celebrations.

The Karnataka government has decided to release Rs 10 crore for the celebrations as against Rs 8.5 crore last year, aiming at improving the grandeur of the nine-day celebrations to commence from October 5 with the worship of Mysore's presiding diety Goddess Chamundeswari and to conclude on October 14 with 'Vijaya Dasami' procession. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced at the Dasara High Level Committee meeting in Bangalore that Rs 10 crore would be released for this year's celebrations and asked the event organising officials to make it special and a people's festival, said Mysore's Deputy Commissioner C Shika in a release here. She was among the officers who took part in the meeting.

However, he rejected the demand for Rs 19 crore for the celebrations and asked the officials to make use of Rs 100 crore special grant to the Mysore City Corporation for road improvement works and decorating the procession route and parks that's expected to cost around Rs 9 crore.

"There have been good rains this year. The reservoirs have filled up to the maximum levels. Hence, more people are expected for the celebrations," he told the district officials, asking them to make the celebrations meaningful and not a routine affair. He also asked them to lift up the grandeur of the Mysore Palace, the centenary of which could not be celebrated last year due to drought.

Admitting tax on tourist vehicles coming to the state had hit tourist inflow, he said tax would be exempted for one month during Dasara. The chief minister said the colourful 'Vijaya Dasami' should become a global attraction with national and international floats, and cultural troupes. Social media sites like Twitter should be taken advantage of for giving global publicity to the celebrations.

The 'Yuva Dasara', dropped during the last three years should be revived with programmes that are meaningful for the youth, Siddaramaiah said.

He said, the government was keen on making the Dasara a grand one and would write to the Centre to send defence personnel who have participated in Delhi's Republic Day parade for providing security to the Dasara procession.

The celebrations would be inaugurated by Jnanpith awardee Chandrasekhara Kambara and the cultural programmes by senior stage artist and centenarian Yenagi Balappa.