Minister for Revenue and Housing Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy has said that the historic Ganapeswaralayam (Sivalayam) of the Kakatiya-era in Kusumanchi of Khammam district will be developed at an estimated cost of ₹3.72 crore.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the temple development works in Kusumanchi on Sunday, he said the temple development works would be completed by the next Maha Sivaratri festival.

The Congress government has developed the historic Sammakka Saralamma temple in Mulugu district by spending ₹300 crore, he noted.

The State government has decided to sanction ₹1,000 crore in the first phase to develop the temples along the banks of the Godavari from Basar to Bhadrachalam ahead of the Godavari Pushkaralu, the once in 12 years event, slated to be held next year.

Mr. Reddy said, “The BRS government had assured to allocate ₹100 crore for the development of the historic Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam. But the previous regime had failed to release even a single pie.”

He noted that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had performed bhoomi puja for ₹350 crore-worth temple development works during Sri Rama Navami celebrations in Bhadrachalam in March this year. The works will be executed expeditiously well ahead of next year’s Godavari Pushkaralu.

The Minister said the Congress respects all religions. Religious harmony and ‘Sarvamatha Samarasyam’ has been the hallmarks of the Congress government, he said, noting that funds had been sanctioned for the development of various mosques, churches and other places of worship.

Khammam MP R. Raghuram Reddy, Collector T.S. Divakara and others were present.