Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated Hari Ghat and unveiled a statue of Goddess Yamuna at Haripur Kalsi on Thursday as 2,100 lamps lit up the Yamuna riverbank. The event, held on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, also saw Dhami lay the foundation stone for a Yamuna-Krishna temple and join a special prayer ceremony with saints and local residents.
A total of 2,100 lamps were lit along the riverbank during the ceremony. The Chief Minister said the Uttarakhand government has approved Rs 150 crore for the Hanol Master Plan as part of its work in the Jaunsar-Bawar region.
He said the project was part of the government’s plans for religious and cultural development in Kalsi. Dhami said the government wants local communities to benefit from the growth of tourism. The ‘Lamp of Blessings’ programme was held on the banks of the Yamuna to mark PM Modi’s birthday. Dhami lit a lamp and prayed for the happiness, peace and prosperity of the people of Uttarakhand. Saints, religious leaders, devotees and local residents also joined the programme. During his visit, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for the Yamuna-Krishna temple. More visitors could create business for homestays, local transport, food services, handicrafts and sellers of local products. The government plans to combine better visitor facilities with the protection of religious and cultural sites, while using tourism to generate income for local communities. MLA Munna Singh Chauhan, Secretary Ranveer Singh Chauhan, Additional Secretary Banshidhar Tiwari, Parmarth Niketan president Swami Chidanand Muni, public representatives, saints, religious leaders and local residents attended the programme.
