We’re bringing in strong system to stop temple fund leakage: Deputy Chief Minister

Karnataka is putting in place a strong system to ensure that incidents like the funds leakage from the Ayodhya Ram temple do not occur in the State’s temples, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said in Belagavi on Wednesday.

Dr. Parameshwara, who also holds the Revenue and Endowments portfolios, told reporters in the Suvarna Soudha that the system will use technology to ensure that there are no leakages or human errors.

Senior officers like Tahsildars and Deputy Commissioners will be asked to regularly inspect the temples and check the records and to supervise the activities of the officers and staff there, he said.

“I think Ayodhya is a warning bell for all of us. We need to protect the assets and earnings of such temples. We are committed to doing that. Standard operating procedure is being followed. A complete set of systems and processes will be in place to see that there is no wrongdoing in such places,” he said.

He said that he has instructed senior revenue officials and Deputy Commissioners of all districts to see that encroachment of all temple property are removed within a specified time. Officers should ensure that the land records of such property should be cleaned by survey and boundary fixation and encroachments removed. This protection drive will be conducted for all categories of temples - A, B and C.

“In case of A category temples, they are allowed to utilise their local funds for development. They are administered by the temple authorities. They will have to prepare master plans and get them approved by the State government. They can use their funds to create physical infrastructure and other facilities for the convenience of the general public. They can build lodging and other facilities with such funds. Smaller temples, under B and C categories, have to send proposals to the State government for funds,” he said.