The government’s reply noted, “Over the past five years, only 12 temples across six states have benefited from this scheme.” Gujarat was notably absent from the list of recipients. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has allocated Rs 15,45,31,103 under this scheme to 20 temples, including those in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana. However, pilgrimage sites in over 20 other states have not received any support.Gujarat Congress spokesperson Parthiv Raj Singh Kathwadia sharply criticised the government, stating, “This scheme promises local employment for folk artists in shrines for daily activities and festivals. Yet, the people of Gujarat have been unjustly deprived of these benefits.”Kathwadia further charged, “While assistance ranging from Rs 54 lakhs to Rs 90 lakhs has been allocated to 12 temples elsewhere, not a single rupee has been granted to Gujarat’s temples. The BJP government engages in religious politics to secure votes but fails to support the shrines.”Only 12 temples benefitIn a recent Rajya Sabha query, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat revealed that over the past five years, only 12 temples in six states have benefited from this scheme. Alarmingly, none of Gujarat’s 348 pilgrimage sites, as listed by the Gujarat Pilgrimage Board, have received any financial support
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