Guwahati: Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday laid the foundation stone for development work to turn Kamakhya temple into a "swachh iconic place".

The work will include development of a recreation area for children, parking sheds, an information centre and drainage systems, beautification of the Chandravati pond, upgrade of its hospital, a spectacular entry point, construction of an alternative road from Kamakhya to Pandu, resting sheds with drinking water facilities along the temple road and fibre relief installations depicting the history of the temple. An amount of Rs 25 crore has been released for the project, to be implemented as part of Oil India Limited's corporate social responsibility initiative.

Pradhan said Assam had much to offer to the tourists from natural beauty to pilgrimage sites and it must be harnessed properly to develop the tourism industry. The Centre is ready to actively cooperate, he said. "Maa Kamakhya's temple is a prominent pilgrimage site where devotees from all over the world come to seek her blessings. Both the central and state governments are working hand-in-hand to develop this place of worship," he said.

Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said his government was making concerted efforts to develop Kamakhya temple as one of the cleanest pilgrimage sites in the country to realise the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. He urged the tourism department to develop the temple premises and make it more accessible for the elderly and divyang (differently abled).

"Kamakhya is one of the most important shakti peeths in the country and it is our solemn duty to keep the temple premises clean. Devotees seeking Maa Kamakhya's blessings come from across the country and abroad and a clean environment would be the best image of the state to the visitors," Sonowal said.

Assam Tourism Development Corporation chairman Jayanta Malla Baruah, OIL chief managing director Utpal Bora and Gauhati MP Bijoya Chakravarty were present.