Rs 154 crore budget for Puri Srimandir approved

Puri: The Srimandir temple management committee today approved an annual budget of Rs 154 crore for 2020-21 financial year, informed temple Chief Administrator Krishan Kumar today.

After a high-level meeting held here under the chairmanship of Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the Chief Administrator said income of the centuries-old temple has plunged this year due to restriction on entry of devotees inside the temple following  COVID-19 outbreak. However, the temple expenditure has increased this year due to pandemic.

“Apart from expenditure for daily rituals at the temple, additional funding was made for setting up of COVID Care Homes for servitors and other related activities. To meet the gap, the the temple administration has decided to launch online donation,” said Krishan Kumar urging all devotees to contribute to the temple fund. 

The meeting today stressed on various issues, including  upcoming Nagarjuna Besha of the deities, Kartika rituals and welfare programmes of temple servitors.

Regarding reopening of the temple for devotees, Krishan Kumar said, “discussion will be held with Chhatisa Nijog again and it will take about four more weeks to be prepared  for the reopening. After that, if the state Government gives green signal, we will reopen the temple for devotees.”     

Among others, Collector Balwant Singh and SP Akhilesh Singh were present in the meeting.