Badrinath to get Vishnu icons, cabinet approves

The Uttarakhand cabinet on Wednesday approved the construction of icons associated with Lord Vishnu at the Badrinath temple complex as part of its redevelopment master plan.

The four projects include a Sheshnetra Lotus Wall to be built at the Badrinath lakefront, a Sudarshan Chakra sculpture to be erected at the Badrinath arrival plaza, a Sudarshan Chowk 'kalakriti' (artwork) to be installed at the same spot and a tree and river sculpture at Badrinarayan Chowk within the Himalayan temple's premises.

Located at a height of more than 10,000 feet from the sea level, the temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

Informing the media about the decisions taken by the state cabinet, Shailesh Bagauli, Secretary to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, said.

The projects have been conceived by the Tourism Department under the Badrinath redevelopment master plan.

Their implementation will either be funded under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), or by the Centre or the state government, he said.

The cabinet also gave its approval to restructure the Uttarakhand Human Rights Commission by creating 12 new posts in addition to the 47 already in existence.

The cabinet also approved the creation of 15 new posts in the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission apart from the 62 already in existence for its better functioning.

The cabinet decided to exempt only plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and strong hybrid electric vehicles from the motor vehicle tax payable under the new rule 125 'M' of the Central Motor Vehicles (Ninth Amendment) Rules, 2023.

The objective of the decision is to encourage vehicle owners to purchase and use vehicles of the said category and also to reduce pollution. The tax exemption will be valid only once in the current financial year 2025-26, Bagauli said.