Rs 130-cr first-phase facelift underway at Mata Chintpurni shrine: Agnihotri

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Thursday said that Rs 130 crore is being spent in the first phase of the development of the Mata Chintpurni shrine, one of the most revered pilgrimage sites in the country. He was speaking after inaugurating an Indian Oil Corporation petrol pump at Dilwan village in the Amb subdivision of Una district.

Agnihotri said a comprehensive master plan had been prepared to enhance facilities for the large number of devotees visiting the shrine throughout the year. Of the total outlay, Rs 75 lakh has been contributed by the Himachal Pradesh government, while the remaining amount is being funded under the Union government's Swadesh Darshan scheme. He added that similar development works were being carried out at prominent religious destinations such as Mahakaal in Ujjain, Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Vrindavan under the same scheme.

Urging Chintpurni MLA Sudarshan Babloo to closely monitor the execution of works, the Deputy Chief Minister stressed the need to ensure timely utilisation of funds and maintain high quality standards. He also announced that 16 panchayats surrounding the shrine were being covered under an augmented drinking water supply scheme at a cost of Rs 13 crore to address the long-standing issue of water scarcity in the area.

Agnihotri further informed that irrigation and drinking water projects worth Rs 125 crore were being implemented in the Chintpurni segment, asserting that there would be no shortage of funds for developmental works. Responding to demands raised by the local MLA, he also announced an additional Rs 1 crore for miscellaneous works under the Jal Shakti department in the constituency.