The inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has been nothing less than a flagship moment for the ruling party in the country and its temple politics, but the momentum surely does not end with it.

More than 300 Hindu temples across the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh have got a whopping ₹50 lakh each for renovation and beautification work, according to exclusive details accessed by Hindustan Times. The amount is higher, as much as ₹2 crore each, for some larger temples.

With over ₹150 crore earmarked in just two years of the Yogi 2.0 government, this temple drive continues to gather steam.

“Several temples are centuries’ old and required repair but remained neglected under successive governments,” Uttar Pradesh tourism and culture minister Jaiveer Singh said, explaining the concept behind the initiative.

“The Uttar Pradesh government decided to restore the glory and fame of the temples. The districts’ administration and people’s representatives were directed to send the list of the temples in their areas that required renovation,” Singh said.

Then, the list was handed over to the construction agencies to prepare the estimate of the works.

Some of the reconstructed and renovated temples include Bateshwar Dham temple in Agra district, Rupani Devi temple in Firozabad, Aamani Bab temple in Aligarh, Kailash temple in Etah, Taragarh temple in Hathras, Lalpuri temple in Mainpuri and Laxmi temple in Mathura, Hathiram Baba temple in Ayodhya. The Shiva Baba temple in Ambedkar Nagar, Mahadev temple in Barabanki, Ram Janaki temple in Amethi, Jalhidham temple in Gonda, Baba Bihari Das temple in Bahraich, Maa Pateshwari temple in Balrampur and Jharkhandi Mahadev temple in Gorakhpur are also on this list.

“We have hired architects for the restoration works in the temples. The funds were released accordingly to the agencies to complete the restoration work,” he said, detailing the method behind the drive.

Now, with many crumbling edifices being restored to their original glory, the temples are abuzz with activities and the presence of devotees these days.

To read the detailed report https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/300-temples-rs-150-cr-ayodhya-flagship-kindles-mission-renovation-101707581734125-amp.html