Junagadh Temples City District Heritage Tourism News Gujarat India

Gujarat Government to invest Rs200 crore for heritage conservation.

Gujarat which is known for its heritage sites will invest Rs200 crore for their upkeep.

In terms of number of heritage sites per square kilometer in the country, the state is in a leading position but many of the sites are in pathetic condition.

Hence the state government is planning to invest a huge sum in improving the condition of the heritage sites that are vanishing due to neglect.

At present, a total of 202 historical monuments in Gujarat are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and director of state archaeology department.

According to sources, the government aims to invest around Rs200 crore for developing the fast vanishing heritage monuments of the state.

Of Rs200 crore, Rs100 crore will be earmarked for developing Buddhist sites.

The government plans to promote Buddhism studies and organize an international Buddhist convention in January 2010 in Vadodara.

It also plans to develop Devni Mori-Vadnagar sites as Buddhist pilgrimage circuit by introducing specific religious tours and activities.

"At Devni Mori site, an international Buddhism hub, meditation centre, Buddhist monastery and school of learning will be started. Other Buddhist tourist sites at Junagadh City District Area, Gondal and South Gujarat will also be developed," they said.

"In the 2001 earthquake, many important heritage sites sustained damage, but most of them have not been restored fully yet.

The government aims to restore and develop these heritage sites. Development of tourist infrastructure is also needed to attract domestic and international tourists," they said.

The government has also planned to modernize and develop the state libraries and also increase the financial assistance to state and private museums.