Sambalpur, May 14: The tourism department has sanctioned Rs 20 lakh for various development works at the famous leaning temple of Huma, located around 23 kilometres south from here.

"Electrification of the temple premises and some civil works will be carried out with the fund. A consultant of the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) is preparing the design for the development works. The work will begin shortly after the blueprint is completed and approvaed," said the district tourist officer Rabindra Kumar Dalei.

There is also a proposal to provide water supply facility to Huma village along with the temple. The West Odisha Development Council has sanctioned Rs 35 lakh for this purpose. The rural water supply and sanitation department will execute the work.

The Huma temple, which is in Maneswar block of the district, is the oldest Shiv temple in the region. Lord Bimaleswar is worshiped in the temple, where thousands of tourists come from across the country to every year. The leaning structure of the temple is an added attraction.

The temple was constructed during the Chouhan dynasty between 1545 to 1560. Apart from the leaning structure, the kudo fish found in the Machhindra Ghat adjoining the temple also attracts tourists. The fish eat from the hands of the visitors.

Another tourism official in Sambalpur said: "The leaning temple of Huma attracted 2,34,070 pilgrims in 2012. The footfall went up to 2,36,565 in 2013 and 2,40,140 in 2014."