19-10-21 Daily-Odisha-OPSC Current Affairs

Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday wrote to his counterpart in the culture ministry, G Kishan Reddy, requesting him to include Odisha in the proposed Buddhist Circuit under the Centres Swadesh Darshan scheme. It aims to promote, develop and harness the potential of tourism in the country.

Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the tourism ministry has sanctioned five projects worth Rs 325.53 crore for the development of Budhist Circuits in MP, UP, Gujarat, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

Highlighting the Buddhist heritage of Odisha, Pradhan wrote that during the Bhaumakara dynasty rule from the 8th to 10th century AD, was considered as a state religion here. It is believed that the first disciples of Lord Buddha, Tapasu and Bhallika, hailed from the modern-day city of Jajpur. Though Buddhism entered Odisha long before the Kalinga War, it spread under the patronage of Emperor Ashoka, he added.