Ahmedabad, Jan 30 (PTI) Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Friday said this year’s Mahashivratri Fair, often referred to as Junagadh’s ‘mini Kumbh’, to be held from February 11 to 15 will be the biggest and most memorable ever, with the administration fully prepared to welcome sadhus and devotees.
Sanghavi said special arrangements are being put in place in view of the lakhs of devotees expected for the fair at Bhavnath this year, with the number of police personnel deployed there set to touch 2,900, up from 1,600 in previous years.
“Under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, this year’s fair will be the biggest and most memorable ever. The administration is fully prepared to welcome sadhus and devotees arriving at the Mahashivratri Fair, often referred to as the ‘mini Kumbh’ of Junagadh. For the devotees, the administration has extended the Ravedi route by 500 metres this year to a total of 2 km which was 1.5 km long,” a release quoted him as saying.
Continuous surveillance will be ensured across the entire area through CCTV cameras to prevent any untoward incidents, while adequate arrangements have been made for parking, traffic management, accommodation, and dormitory facilities, he said.
The state tourism department will decorate the entire route based on the theme of Lord Bholenath, and Junagadh city will be illuminated with decorative lighting, he said, adding several selfie points and information centres will also be set up along the route.
“Live streaming of the fair will be carried out during the ‘Shahi Snan’. For the first time, more than 1,000 local youth will be engaged as volunteers by Junagadh police to assist in fair management. More than 300 social organizations have arranged lodging and food (prasad) for devotees. Facilities for safe drinking water and clean toilets have been provided along the fair route,” Saghavi said.
Meanwhile, Sanghavi, on Wednesday, chaired a high-level committee meeting and approved applications of three large industries involving a total investment of Rs1,371.38 crore.
These include Rs 491.28 crore in the chemical sector in Bharuch district, Rs 402.08 crore in the food and agro sector in Himmatnagar district, and Rs 478.02 crore in the minerals sector in Vadodara district, the release said.
Under the ‘Assistance Scheme to Strengthen Specific Segments of the Textile Value Chain – 2019’, 11 new units have been approved for interest subsidy and power tariff assistance, it said.
“These projects will bring in fresh investments of Rs 668.34 crore and are expected to generate around 1,478 direct jobs. Over the next five years, the Gujarat government will provide an estimated Rs 202 crore in financial assistance to these units, further enhancing the state’s s global competitiveness in the textile sector,” the release said. PTI KVM BNM
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