No funds from muzrai temples diverted: DGR | Mangaluru News
Mangaluru: Minister for health and family welfare, Dinesh Gundu Rao, expressed concern over the spread of false information accusing the govt of diverting revenue from endowment temples for other purposes. Stating that the govt utilises the revenue from muzrai temples exclusively for the development of religious shrines under the department, the minister said that a few organisations have been spreading malicious campaigns against the govt with a political agenda.Rao was speaking at a consultation meeting with the management committee members of temples under the Hindu religious institutions and charitable endowments department on Friday. The Congress govt under chief minister Siddaramaiah increased ‘tasdik’ (remuneration for archaks) from Rs 24,000 to Rs 36,000 per year, and later to Rs 48,000 during his previous term. “The govt has further increased the tasdik to Rs 72,000. There is a political conspiracy to portray the Congress govt as anti-Hindu,” Rao alleged.The state govt passed the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill to make provisions to utilise a portion of revenue from rich temples for the development of Hindu shrines with lower income. “While the BJP opposed the bill, the governor has referred it to the President of India for approval,” he said, and called upon endowment temple management committees to submit a memorandum to the governor and the President, seeking approval for the bill.MLC Manjunath Bhandary said that to prevent this malicious campaign, all endowment temples should put up notice boards clarifying that ‘no funds from Hindu temples are diverted for other purposes.’ He demanded that members of all B and C Grade endowment temples should be given ID cards from the department.Shwetha Palli, executive officer of Bappanadu Durgaparameshwari Temple, noted that 493 temples in Dakshina Kannada come under the muzrai department, of which 10 generate the highest income. MLC Ivan D’Souza, deputy commissioner Darshan HV and zilla panchayat CEO Narwade Vinayak Karbhari were present.
