Champaner gets face lift for President's visit

Champaner-Pavagadh, the medieval capital of Gujarat and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004, has been given a new face lift with president A P J Abdul Kalam planning to visit the site on November 11.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Gujarat Tourist Department and Heritage Trust, an NGO committed to the conservation and beautification of Champaner, are working round-the-clock for the last fortnight for giving a new look to the remains of this pre-historic site spread over an area of 6 sq km.

Inscribed on the World Heritage List in July, 2004, Champaner-Pavagadh, located 50 km north of Vadodara, is the only World Heritage Site in Gujarat.

Besides visiting the majestic Jama Masjid at Chmpaner to unveil UNESCO's World Heritage Plaque, Dr. Kalam is scheduled to dedicate to the nation a unique ''Jyoti Gram'' scheme of the state-owned Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) which has succeeded in providing 24 hours three-phase power supply to all the 18065 villages of Gujarat under the scheme.

According to ASI superintending archaeologist (Vadodara circle) Dr.Shivananda, the stage was all set for the President's visit to Jama Masjid, one of the architect marvels of Champaner. Dr.Kalam will visit the masjid and an exhibition on the World Heritage Site accompanied by Gujarat Governor N K Sharma, Chief Minister Narendra Modi and ASI Director General C Babu Rajeev among others.

During his nearly two hours visit to Champaner, the President would go around a model ''Jyoti Gram'' village adjacent to Jama Masjid to be apprised about the novel scheme and its benefit to the villagers. The model ''Jyoti Gram'' village having people from lower income group to high income group, had got all basic amenities, including road and telecommunications, police station and PHC, a GUVNL official said.

The President will leave for Delhi via Vadodara after dedicating the Jyoti Gram scheme to the nation at a function organised near the masjid.

Official sources hoped that President's visit would not only help boost tourism in the state but also popularise the Jyoti Gram concept of Gujarat government across the country taken up in the interest of the poor villagers.

UNI SS ADG SHB VC1548

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