Rs. 3.20 Cr Sanctioned For Temple Works At Bhanumukkala: Minister

KURNOOL: As part of the reconstruction of the Sri Lakshmi Sametha Venkateswara Swamy temple at Bhanumukkala, the endowments department has sanctioned Rs. 3.10 crore for laying granite flooring in the Mukhamandapam and Rajagopuram, said roads and buildings minister B.C. Janardhan Reddy.

Taking part in the temple's reconstruction programme on Sunday, he said that after assuming charge as minister, he brought the matter to the attention of endowments minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, who responded positively and approved the proposal immediately. He added that during his earlier tenure as an MLA in 2014, he had deposited `16 lakh in the bank for the temple. That amount has now grown to `31 lakh, which he has again deposited as part of the common good fund matching grant.

The minister also announced that another `3.50 crore would soon be sanctioned for constructing the temple's Prakaram. For this project too, he will contribute Rs. 31 lakh from his personal funds under the matching grant scheme.

Speaking about development works in Banaganapalle, he said that with the support of local people and the efforts of BC Indiramma, 80 per cent of the town has been made plastic-free. He noted that underground drainage works have started to prevent wastewater from entering the Jurreru Vagu. The drainage system is being constructed at a cost of Rs.12 crore.

In addition, cement concrete roads are being laid, and a Shadi Khana is being built for the Muslim minority community. The minister also appealed to the public to use clay Ganesh idols for the upcoming Vinayaka Chavithi festival to help protect the environment.