Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath Seeks Rs 100 Crore for Development of Sri Durga Temple

Vijayawada: Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath alias Chinni requested Union minister of tourism and culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to sanction Rs 100 crore under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme for the development of Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy temple situated on Indrakiladri hill in Vijayawada.

The MP met the minister on Thursday in Delhi and briefed him about the development works that need to be undertaken at the temple given the future needs of devotees. The MP informed minister Shekhawat that the state revenue (endowments) department and the EO of the temple had sent the proposals for these works. He informed that Durga temple is the most famous and largest temple in Andhra Pradesh after Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.

MP Sivanath also informed that the temple attracts more than 25,000 devotees daily, 50,000 devotees on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and 2,50,000 devotees from various states during the Dasara Navratri festival and at the time of Bhavani Deeksha. To provide the necessary facilities to devotees, the MP has requested the sanction of Rs 100 crore funds under the PRASAD scheme for the temple. Union minister responded positively to his request, the MP said.