Date:03/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/03/stories/2009010352750300.htm

Karnataka

Rs. 5 crore for Sannati Development Authority

Special Correspondent

Sannati, Kanaganalli Buddhist sites to be developed

Museum, library building to be constructed

KANAGANALLI (GULBARGA DISTRICT): The Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa, has agreed to allocate Rs. 5 crore in the next budget for the Sannati Development Authority to take up preliminary development works at Sannati and Kanaganalli Buddhist sites to make them a tourist destination.

Disclosing this at the meeting of the authority here on Friday, Cooperation Minister Lakshman S. Savadi, who is also the Minister in-charge of Gulbarga district, said the authority had prepared an action plan on development works to be taken up at the sites and submitted it to the Government. The Minister said that he had discussed the issue with the Chief Minister.

Mr. Savadi said that the Chief Minister, while giving an approval for the action plan, had promised to allocate Rs. 5 crore in the next budget for the development works.

According to the action plan, Rs. 1.95 crore would be required for constructing a museum to house excavated artefacts and sculptures and for constructing an office for the Commissioner of the authority and a library building, he said. A sum of Rs. 50 lakh would be required for developing a garden, Rs. 72 lakh for constructing staff quarters, Rs. 38.5 lakh for developing internal roads, Rs. 39.4 lakh for constructing compound wall, the Minister said.

The remaining amount would be used for creating other facilities in and around Sannati and Kanaganalli.

Mr. Savadi said that the Government released Rs. 1 crore to the authority in 2008 and Rs. 56 lakh of this amount had been spent for acquiring 45.32 acres of land for constructing the museum and providing other tourist facilities at Kanaganalli and Sannati. Of the 45.32 acres of land the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) would be given 5.32 acres of land for taking up reconstruction activities at excavation sites.

Mr. Savadi said that development works at Kanaganalli and Sannati would be completed within two years.

Commissioner of the authority S.M. Jamdhar told senior officials of the ASI to complete excavation at Kanaganalli, Ranamandala and Sannati at the earliest. He also wanted the ASI to protect the excavated artefacts and sculptures.