House Committee stress on maximising Jaganath temple income

Bhubaneswar, Aug 26 (UNI) The house Committee of the state legislature has asked the Jagannath Temple administration, Puri, to initiate steps to maximise income and minimise expenditure of this 12th century temple.

The Committee, which met under the chairmanship of Speaker Maheswar Mohanty yesterday, directed the temple administration to sell the mines and land of the temple located in various places to increase the temple income.

Sources said of total 151 mines of the temple, only 46 had been auctioned. The committee decided to auction the mountains and sell all the plain areas.

Similarly a decision was also taken to expedite the process for the sale of temple land located in different districts including in Puri, where around 600 acres of temple land was now under the possession of more than 6000 people.

The committee asked the temple administration to take steps for enable income tax exemption for persons who donate to the temple fund.

At present 50 per cent tax exmption is being given to persons who donate money for repairis and renovations of the temple.

The committee expressed its concern over the rise in expenses during the last few years.

According to sources in 2003-04, the expenses of the temple was 44 per cent of its total income of Rs 13.60 crore but in the next year the expenses constituted 48 per cent of the total income of Rs 13.95 crore.

Similarly the expenses of the temple in 2005-06 and 2006-07 were 40 and 46 percent of the temple income of 19.75 crore and 20.99 crore respectively.

The committe also wanted the temple administration to take up social works like opening up of charity hospitals and afforestation, the sources said.

UNI