After announcing a bumper ‘₹1 lakh House Rent Allowance‘ for all Haryana MLAs in the first cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is now planning to build a ‘Bharat Mata Ka Mandir’ in Kurukshetra.
Calling Kurukshetra a centre of religious and cultural tourism, he said his government will build a Bharat Mata Temple in the holy city, besides boosting the city’s infrastructure to provide all facilities to visiting pilgrims.
It seems as though, for the Haryana Chief Minister: the agrarian crisis, stubble burning, deadly levels of air pollution, women safety and other glaring issues have taken a backseat.
Addressing a news conference in Chandigarh, during the International Gita Mahotsav-2019, Khattar said the temple will be built in Kurukshetra over five acres of land at a place between Jyotisar and Brahamsarovar.
“‘Bharat Mata Ka Mandir’ will become a key cultural centre for the people, a symbol of our unity”, said Khattar while adding that the government will develop Kurukshetra as a key tourist destination and a “centre of religious faith” among people.
The government also plans to create a policy to offer plots in Kurukshetra measuring 1,500 square metres to 2,000 square metres on concessional rates to various states to build their “Bhawans” to facilitate pilgrims visiting the city.
Naming various upcoming temples and other religious and cultural institutions like Giogita Sansthanam, Akshardham Temple, ISKCON temple and Gyan Mandir, the chief minister said the construction of these institutions would impart a distinct international identity to Kurukshetra.
Since nearly 40 lakh people visited Kurukshetra during the last international Gita festival, the chief minister said its infrastructural development would lead to a significant increase in the number of tourists and pilgrims visiting it.