H.K. Patil, Minister of Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Legislation and Tourism, said that the State government would, in the first phase, protect around 5,000 important monuments in the State.
“There are 25,000 monuments in the State. We will protect and develop important 5,000 of them in the first phase. The government would move step by step on the matter,” Mr. Patil told presspersons after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Bengaluru-based United Way of India, a non-profit organisation, for the protection and development of the 60-pillar temple at Nagavi in Chittapur taluk of Kalaburagi district under government’s monument adoption scheme, on Tuesday.
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister and Kalaburagi In-charge Priyank Kharge, who represented Chittapur constituency in the Assembly, was present.
Mr. Patil said that the United Way of India, apart from adopting the 60-pillar temple, would also submit a detailed project report within three weeks for the protection and development of four more monuments in Nagavi.
Mr. Priyank said that he and his government were committed to protect and develop the monuments in the historical place Nagavi. “There are many ancient monuments in Nagavi. We have the responsibility to protect them. We will develop Nagavi into a protected area,” Mr. Priyank said.
Addressing a public meeting earlier in the day, Mr. Patil said that the government had planned to hand over 1,000 historical monuments in the State to private institutions for protection and development under its Adopt a Monument scheme.
“I was excited to know about the past glory of Nagavi and the Ghatikasthana. I was extremely thrilled to learn that Nagavi was the first university in the State. Many academic disciplines including law, mathematics, Vedas and religious literature were taught here a thousand years ago. We should be proud of our past. We are the inheritors of our culture and tradition. We must put collective efforts to protect these historical monuments. We are ready to extend all possible help. It is a good thing that many institutions have come forward to adopt monuments,” Mr. Patil said.
Mr. Priyank said that Orient Cement company had come forward to adopt the Nagavi Yellamma temple and the final agreement would shortly be signed with it.
Legislator Tippannappa Kamakanur, Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum, Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat Bhanwar Singh Meena and Superintendent of Police Addur Srinivasalu were present.
Earlier, the Ministers visited Nagavi Yellamma temple and performed a special puja to the deity. Later in the day, they visited another historical town Malkhed, which was called as Manyakheta and served as the capital of Rashtrakutas a thousand years ago.
