New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday stated that "comprehensive development" of Vishnupad Temple at Gaya and Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya in Bihar will be supported, modelled on the successful Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor to transform them into "world class pilgrim and tourist destinations". In her speech in Parliament while presenting the Union Budget, Sitharaman said that the two held immense spiritual significance and the government will support plans to construct them in a manner similar to the Kashi Vishwanath corridor. The announcement follows a day after the NDA government rejected a demand by the Janata Dal United for bestowing special status on the state of Bihar.
The Finance Minister in her Budget speech said that tourism has always been a part of India's civilization and the government's efforts in positioning India as a global tourist destination will also create jobs, stimulate investments and unlock economic opportunities for other sectors. The Mahabodhi Temple Complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is located in Bodh Gaya, 115 km south of Patna and 16 km from the district headquarters at Gaya. It is one of the four holy sites related to the life of Lord Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment.
The Mahabodhi Temple Complex is the first temple built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC, and the present temple dates from the 5th-6th centuries. It is one of the earliest Buddhist templ.