Kushinagar
At around 9 am, a Sri Lankan Airlines flight carrying scores of Buddhist monks and dignitaries from the island nation touched down at the airport, built at an estimated cost of Rs 260 crore.
The monks also brought relics of Lord Buddha and were welcomed by various Union ministers and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The eastern Uttar Pradesh town is nearly 50 kilometres from Gorakhpur and about 225 kilometres from Varanasi. It has got many Buddhist temples, making it a popular tourist destination for Buddhists pilgrims from all over the world.
The Prime Minister said the airport will boost connectivity and tourism, while also helping develop an entire economic ecosystem in the region and create new job opportunities.
He said the government’s special attention to the development of places associated with Lord Buddha and developing Kushinagar are among the top priority areas for the UP and central governments.
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