India Aims to Make Forlorn City a Model for Revival

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Stephanie Strom

Graham Crouch for The New York Times

INDIA---The big question on many minds here is: How long will the electricity last? Since Narendra Modi was elected prime minister in May, residents in this forlorn city on the Ganges — at least those with wiring — have had near constant electricity, compared with the failures totaling as much as eight to 10 hours a day in the past. Mr. Modi has promised to tackle Varanasi’s legion of problems and turn this holiest — and one of the dirtiest — of Hindu cities into a showcase of Indian culture and small business undergirded by better infrastructure. The city also should benefit from other budget goals, including 1 billion rupees designated for repairing historic ghats, 2 billion rupees to support craft textile manufacturing and a 5 billion rupee package aimed at enhancing the so-called tourist circuit that encompasses Sarnath, Varanasi and Gaya, cities holy to Hindus and Buddhists. [link]