Odisha: Rs 102 crore budget for Puri Srimandir approved

Puri: The Srimandir temple management committee approved an annual budget of Rs 102 crore for 2019-20 fiscal year during a high-level meeting held here today. The meeting was chaired by Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb.

Briefing mediapersons, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Pradipta Mohapatra said of the total budgeted amount, an expenditure of Rs 78 crore has been earmarked for the centuries-old temple while Rs 38 crore has been allocated for devotees.

The committee has also approved an expenditure of Rs 5 crore for servitors’ welfare programmes like healthcare and pension and Rs 6 crore for the annual Ratha Jatra festival. Besides, Rs 12 lakh per annum has been set aside for payment of remuneration to the Gajapati.

Mohapatr said, “The date for Srimandir budget meeting was fixed prior to declaration of election dates. For the first time, we have fixed a target to generate revenue of over Rs 100 crore from sale of temple land, auction of stone mines and donations,”

He further said, “Since only Rs 4 crores revenue is generated from donations, it has been decided to increase the donation amount this year.”