Ensure cleanliness of all temples in week: Maharashtra CM tells collectors

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday instructed the district collectors to undertake a cleanliness drive at all temples in the state and ensure the change is visible within a week, ahead of the consecration of Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.Shinde gave these instructions at a review meeting chaired by him at his official residence here.Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a call to keep temples clean.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday instructed the district collectors to undertake a cleanliness drive at all temples in the state and ensure the change is ''visible'' within a week, ahead of the consecration of Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

Shinde gave these instructions at a review meeting chaired by him at his official residence here.

''Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a call to keep temples clean. The district collectors in Maharashtra should undertake a cleanliness drive across all the temples and decorate them with electric lights. The change should be visible within a week,'' Shinde said.

He said the District Planning and Development Council of every district should allocate some funds for undertaking the cleaning of temples and surroundings at regular intervals. A special scheme should be formed for the same and DPDCs can allocate funds for the same, Shinde told the collectors, as per a release.

The chief minister also asked the state revenue department to appoint a nodal officer to monitor this work.