Development plans worth Rs 305.63 crore for various pilgrimage sites in the state were approved in the state-level summit committee meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday. This includes works worth Rs 129.49 crore for the construction of 'Darshan Mandap' and 'Darshan Queue' at Pandharpur Vitthal Mandir.

Substantial funds will be made available for the development of pilgrimage sites in the state, as promised in the budget and from time to time. Accordingly, immediate planning should be done for the development of pilgrimage and tourist places. Chief Minister Shinde emphasized that quality work should be ensured during this meeting.

Minister for Higher and Technical Education Chandrakant Patil, Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation Anil Patil, MLA Shivendra Singh Raje Bhosale, MLA Saadhan Awatade, MLA Saroj Ahire, Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, and Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Vikas Kharge were present during the meeting. The Chief Minister also approved Rs 40 crore to construct a theme park at Bhagur, Nashik, where Veer Savarkar was born. He approved the first phase with a budget of Rs 15 crore for the theme park at Bhagur.

Shinde also approved a development plan for the 'Mars Planet Temple' in Amalner taluka, Jalgaon district, with a budget of Rs 25 crore. Additionally, he sanctioned Rs 47 crore for water sports activities at the Satara Koyna reservoir.

Proposals were presented for an Rs 18 crore development plan for Sant Gadgebaba Karmabhumi, and Rs 2.67 crore were approved for the development of Shri Kshetra Gahininath Gad. Rs 15 crore were approved for the construction of a memorial for Constable Tukaram Ombale in Satara, who was martyred during the 26/11 terrorist attack.

The Urban Development Department presented development plans worth Rs 24.73 crore for the Laxmi Narayan Shiv Mandir-Nandanvan in Nagpur, Rs 13.35 crore for the Kutte Wale Baba Mandir ashram development, and Rs 14.39 crore for the Murlidhar Mandir Pardi development plan in Nagpur. CM Shinde approved all these plans during the meeting.