Centre's Rs 367.71 cr largesse for Buddhist pilgrim towns of Bihar

Patna, Jul 20 (UNI) To provide better amenities and other facilities to the Buddhist pilgrims, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 367.71 crore for development of Bodhgaya, the international religious tourist spot of the Buddhists.

Official sources said here today that the fund would be used for the development of the state capital as well as Bodh Gaya.

The amount had been earmarked under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) and would be used for improving housing facilities, water supply and toilets.

The sources further said the Centre was likely to sanction Rs 993 crore to the state for providing basic services to the urban poor under the mission by 2012.

According to the sources, the fund released would be utilised for development of facilities at Bodh Gaya selected under the JNURM, as lakhs of pilgrims throng at the religious spot every year.

The other Buddhist spots would also be developed and the government was committed to providing better facilties to the pilgrims thronging the state to visit the Buddhist tourist spots.

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