Rs 197 Crore Budget for Puri Temple

The Sri Jagannath temple managing body has decided to spend around Rs 10 crore to construct three pilgrim shelters and another Rs five crore to widen the Parikrama around the 12th century shrine.

A decision in this regard was taken at the annual budget meeting of the temple, presided over by Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb.

An annual budget of Rs 197 crore was finalised for the temple in the 2016-17 financial year and it was decided that an additional Rs two crore would be spent to complete the Nabakalebara projects. In the new financial year, the focus will be on collection of revenue through disposal of temple endowment property, infrastructure development and welfare of servitors, said SC Mohapatra, the temple chief administrator.

The temple managing body expects a revenue of around Rs 67.3 crore from sale of temple land located in Khurda and Ganjam districts besides, another Rs 46.14 crore from auction of stone mines. A revenue of Rs 14.21 crore is expected from auction of ‘Pindika’, commercial bhog selling outlets in the temple complex and donations. This apart, the temple managing body is expecting grants of Rs 61.75 crore from the State Government.

As far as expenditure is concerned, a total of Rs 40.9 crore would be spent on development projects for the temple, which includes construction of three guest houses to accommodate pilgrims, establishment of a residential school for children of temple servitors and renovation of  Sri Gundicha temple.

The managing body allocated Rs 24.83 crore for conduct of daily rituals of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath, said Mohapatra, adding that Rs 13.2 crore would be spent on welfare projects for servitors. An amount of Rs 72.8 crore will be kept in the temple corpus fund and Rs 5.24 crore in the capital fund for the temple.

It was revealed in the meeting that over Rs 26.49 crore was spent for Nabakalebara rituals of the deities. The managing body approved an expenditure of Rs 3.54 crore for the ensuing Rath Yatra of the three deities, Rs four crore towards pension of retired employees of the temple, Rs six crore for the salary of temporary employees, Rs 13.5 crore for payment of remuneration to servitors and Rs 9.26 crore towards salary of the temple’s regular employees.

The budget has been sent to the State Government for approval.