Kolkata, Nov 19: The Centre has plans to set up a Vivekananda tourist circuit connecting all the places where the swami visited and stayed throughout the country, Union Tourism Minister Jagmohan said here today. The historic Dakshineswar, Belur Math and the Swami's House are places which will be included in the project, the minister said during a visit to the heritage site of ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda in north Kolkata.
The Minister said a similar Adi Shankaracharya circuit would be set up in different parts of the country.
Jagmohan assured the Ramakrishna Mission authority that its appeal for central assistance for the completion of 'Swami Vivekananda Memorial Cultural Centre' by the end of next year would be looked into.
The Minister discussed the project with its supervisor Swami Vishokananada Maharaj, Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Mission representatives.
Bandyopadhyya submitted a memorandum to the minister urging Central assistance to the tune of Rs 4.5 crore for the completion of the Rs 20 project.
The Trinamool MP said the Planning Commission had already released Rs 3 crore for the project. The Union Tourism Ministry had given as grant Rs 2.4 crore and another Rs 2.50 crore grant was given by union finance ministry. The West Bengal government, which assured a financial assistance of Rs six crore, has provided Rs three crore.
Bureau Report