After Modi, Jaitley adopts villages in Gujarat

Four villages of Karnali, Pipaliya, Vadiya and Baglipura are covered under Karnali group panchayat of Dabhoi taluka.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has decided to adopt Karnali group panchayat villages in Gujarat's Vadodara district as part of the 'Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna', a senior official has said.

Four villages of Karnali, Pipaliya, Vadiya and Baglipura are covered under Karnali group panchayat of Dabhoi taluka.

Vadodara District Collector Vinod Rao told PTI that he received a letter in this regard from Jaitley on Wednesday.

"The district administration will develop various facilities in the villages and make Karnali a tourist spot as lakhs of devotees of Lord Shiva visit the Kuber Bhandari temple located in this village every year," Rao said.

The total population of the four villages is 2,506 -- Karnali (736), Pipaliya (717), Vadiya (631) and Baglipura (422), sub-divisional magistrate L B Bambhaliya said.

The Karnali village's ancient Kuber Bhandari temple, having mythological importance, has the potential to emerge as a major tourist spot as lakhs of devotees visit it to offer prayers on the day of 'amavasya', a local priest said.

Image: Arun Jaitley. Photograph: Reuters