India, Sept. 17 -- Deputy chief minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde on Tuesday announced a 'Namo Udyan' each in 394 small towns in the state.

The announcement was made on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 75th birthday on September 17. Shinde, who heads the urban development department, said the state will spend Rs.1 crore on each garden.

The udyans, to be developed by the local self-government bodies in these towns, will have to be built within a year. The state will then rate them and award prizes to the top three, said Shinde. The top spot will come with a prize of Rs.5 crore, the second with Rs.3 crore and third Rs.1 crore.

Meanwhile, with elections to local self-government bodies due by January 31, 2026, Shinde held...