Odisha Govt forms panel to supervise preparation of Puri Srimandir Ratna Bhandar’s inventory

Bhubaneswar: As per direction by the Orissa High Court, the state government formed a high-level panel to supervise the preparation of the inventory of Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath Temple at Puri.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today constituted the 12-member committee headed by former Supreme Court Judge Justice Arijit Pasayat for monitoring the process of inventory of valuables stored inside the Ratna Bhandar.

Other members of the committee included Dr. Ramakanta Panda (vice-chairman), Dr. Bidhubhushan Samal (former CMD of Allahabad Bank), AK Sabat (Chartered Accountant), a representative of Puri King Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, a representative of Archeological Survey of India, Durga Prasad Dasmohapatra (servitor), Madhav Chandra Mohapatra (servitor), Jagannath Kar (servitor), Ganesh Mekap (servitor), Puri Collector and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator.

In September last year, the High Court had directed the state government to constitute a high-level committee for the supervision of the preparation of inventory of Ratna Bhandar.

Replying to a query in Assembly during Vote-on-Account session in February, Law Minister Jagannath Saraka told the House that the Ratna Bhandar (treasure house) of the Jagannath Temple in Puri will open for repair work during Ratha Jatra this year.