PM Modi inaugurates 'Rudraksh', a state-of-the-art convention centre in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth Rs 1500 crore in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi. The Prime Minister said, these works will further ‘Ease of Living’ for the people of Kashi and Poorvanchal.

PM Modi also inaugurated an international cooperation and convention centre, ‘Rudraksh’, that will offer a glimpse of the cultural richness of the ancient city of Kashi.

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As many as 108 Rudraksh plants have been installed at this start-of-the-art convention centre, with its roof is shaped like a Shiva Lingam. Officials say that the entire building will glow with LED lights at night. The two-storey convention centre covers about 2.87 hectares in area and has a seating capacity of 1,200 people.

Being built with financial assistance from Japan, PM Modi has said that the Rudraksh convention centre will be a symbol of Indo-Japan friendship in Varanasi. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded around ₹186 crore, the cost of the project. During his Varanasi visit in December 2015, the then Japan prime minister Shinzo Abe had planted a Rudraksh plant on its premises.