Gaya, one of the most famous religiously significant cities of Bihar, will now be officially known as “Gaya Ji”. The development came after the Bihar government on Friday approved a proposal to rename the city.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The decision was taken because of the city’s historic and religious importance, Additional Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat) S Siddharth was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Thousands of tourists visit Gaya every year. The place is known for its religious significance. The town was named after a demon called Gayasur lived in the region in Treta Yuga. According to Vayu Purana, Gaya was the name of a demon (Asura) whose body became pious after he performed strict penance and secured blessings from Lord Vishnu.
Other Decisions Taken By The Cabinet
In addition to this, the Cabinet also approved the formation of the Bihar State Jeevika Fund Credit Cooperative Society Ltd, paving the way for setting up ’Jeevika Bank’ from which ’Jeevika Didis’ will be able to avail loans, he said.
The Cabinet also gave its nod to the Health Department’s proposal to set up the Bihar Cancer Care and Research Society for the prevention and treatment of cancer.