Jangipur (West Bengal), July 12 - The State Bank of India Sunday came forward for the preservation of the historic Hazarduari palace, a 19th century edifice built by the Nawabs of Bengal in Murshidabad district.

The bank's cheque of Rs.7.5 million was handed over by Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid to the Archaeological Society of India (ASI) for giving a facelift to the three-storey structure on the bank of the Bhagirathi river.

SBI officials said the amount will be utilised for improving tourist facilities, providing floodlights and measures for preservation of the Hazarduari - literally a palace with a thousand doors - which is the chief tourist attraction of the district.

Built in 1837 by Duncan McLeod for the Nawab Najim Humayun Jah, a descendent of Mir Jafar, Hazarduari is a brilliant exhibition of European architectural style.