The Saibaba Sansthan Trust of Shirdi will give an interest-free loan of Rs 500 crore to Maharashtra government for completing a pending irrigation project. The time limit of repayment of the loan is not yet fixed.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Trust and Godavari Marathawada Irrigation Corporation in this regard. The main objective of the project is to make drinking water available to the people living in Ahmednagar district.
Last year, Shirdi-based temple trust had provided Rs 50 crore to the Maharashtra Airport Development Company for the construction of Shirdi international airport.
The Saibaba temple in Shirdi received donations worth Rs 5.97 crore in three days during the centenary edition of the Saibaba Samadhi festival this year. Last year, the festival had seen devotees donating as much as Rs 4.71 crore.
Saibaba is believed to have taken 'Samadhi' in Shirdi in the year 1918. Every year, a festival is observed for three days on the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dashmi with lakhs of pilgrims from India and abroad gathering in the city for the festival.