Infrastructure push for Ayodhya in UP budget

With an aim to develop Ayodhya as a tourist attraction, the Uttar Pradesh government in its budget for 2020-21 has made a special provision of Rs 500 crore for an airport in the city.

Apart from it, the state government will spend Rs 85 crore on the development of a high-class infrastructure in the pilgrim city.

In the fourth budget of the Yogi government in the state, Rs 10 crore has been kept for the renovation of Tulsi Smarak Bhawan in Ayodhya.

The budget also earmarked Rs 180 crore for setting up a cultural centre in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi and Rs 200 crore for the expansion and beautification of the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The government also earmarked Rs 18 crore for the construction of a "vedic vigyan kendra" under Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya.

The budget also provides for Rs 8 crore subsidy for the Kailash Mansarovar yatra and Rs 10 lakh for Sindhu Darshan.

The budget proposed Rs 50 crore to promote tourism units under the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Policy-2018.

Development of Garhmuketshwar in Hapur district to conserve cultural and ancient heritage, development of water sports in Ramgarh Taal in Gorakhpur, construction of heliports at important tourist centres and the implementation of 46 tourism schemes have also been proposed in the budget.