THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major fillip to pilgrim tourism in state, Centre has approved a Rs 91.72 cr proposal to improve tourist amenities at 147 pilgrim centres of different faiths. State government had submitted the proposal as part of tourism infrastructure development plan."As the next step, a detailed project plan will be prepared at the earliest and submitted to the Centre. The government will give priority to develop pilgrim tourism, considering the growing importance of this segment," said minister for tourism and devaswom Kadakampally Surendran.The project will be implemented as part of 'pilgrim tourism third circuit development plan', under which basic infrastructures in major Hindu, Muslim and Christian pilgrim centres in all 14 districts will be created by demarcating them into seven clusters. Facilities for pilgrims, including restrooms, halls serving foods, toilets and food stalls will be built as part of the project.In Kasaragod, which comes under the first cluster, projects worth Rs 10.91 crore will be implemented, while works estimated at Rs 9.29 crore will be carried out in the second cluster comprising Wayanad, Kannur and Kozhikode.The third cluster, which has projects totalling Rs 9.03 crore, will benefit Palakkad and Malappuram. Thrissur, Ernakulam and Idukki will be part of the fourth cluster, where projects worth Rs 14.24 crore will be taken up, while Rs 19.91 crore has been earmarked for schemes of the fifth cluster covering Kottayam and Alappuzha.Pathanamthitta, identified as the sixth cluster, will get Rs 11.80 crore for various projects while Rs 12.16 crore has been set apart for the seventh cluster covering Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam.Pilgrim centres to be covered by the project include Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kasaragod; Thirunavaya Nava Mukunda Temple, Malappuram; Valiya Juma Masjid, Ponnani; Sri Visalakshi Sametha Sri Viswanathaswamy Temple, Kalpathy; Thali Siva Temple, Pattambi; Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady temples in Thrissur, Ayyappa Seva Sangham, Erumely, Nainar Church, Kanjirapally; St Mary's Church, Champakulam; Mar Thoma Church, Thiruvalla and Parabrahma Temple, Oachira.

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