Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], December 1 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has approved granting municipality status to the Dhari Gram Panchayat in Amreli district.

The new Dhari Municipality will be formed by merging the neighbouring Gram Panchayats--Prempara, Haripara, Vekariyapara, and Navapara-Linepara--with the Dhari Gram Panchayat, according to an official release.

Also Read | There Will Be No Alliance in Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: Arvind Kejriwal Rules Out AAP Tie-Up With Congress.

Located 6 kilometres from Ambardi Safari Park and the ancient Galdhara Khodiyar Mata Temple, Dhari is also home to the Gir East Sanctuary and its forest areas, which attract numerous tourists throughout the year.

This decision by the Chief Minister aims to promote tourism by improving facilities for visitors to the Ambardi Safari Park and Gir East Sanctuary while enhancing local employment opportunities and socio-economic conditions.

Also Read | 'No Protests Against Any Constitutional Dignitaries': Jamia Millia Islamia Warns Students Against Raising Slogans Against PM Narendra Modi, Law Enforcement Agencies on Its Campus.

As around 25 villages in Dhari taluka are situated in forest areas, the formation of the municipality will enable quicker and more effective firefighting services and response teams in case of forest fires. Granting municipality status to Dhari is expected to facilitate holistic development, boost tourism, and improve the quality of life by providing enhanced civic facilities.

Dhari Municipality will become the 160th municipality in Gujarat. Currently, the state has 22 'A' class, 30 'B' class, 60 'C' class, and 42 'D' class municipalities, totalling 159. With the inclusion of Dhari, this number will increase.

In addition, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has approved a proposal to incorporate Juvanpura-Sadatpura village and the surrounding society area into Idar Municipality in Sabarkantha.

Addressing the long-standing demand of the residents of Idar, the Chief Minister's decision to merge these two Gram Panchayats with Idar Municipality will expand the city's boundaries. This unification will facilitate the smooth implementation of town planning schemes and development plans, thereby accelerating the area's overall growth. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)