The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Three temples in every taluk to be renovated

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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Three temples in every taluk to be renovated

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: The BJP Government’s patronage of temples continues with the Muzrai Department announcing renovation of three temples in every taluk in the State within 100 days at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh each.

Minister for Housing and Muzrai V. Somanna told presspersons here on Thursday that the programme would start on August 15 to provide basic facilities from power to drinking water.

He said that major changes in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Trust Act, 1997, were in the offing to streamline administration and to ensure that “money given as donation by temples went back to the welfare of devotees.”

He said that “hundis” in temples would from now on be opened in the presence of devotees so that there was transparency. “It will have to be announced on notice boards,” he added. This, he said, would control the unbridled power of trustees in temples, especially in rural areas. There was a proposal to divert funds, up to 50 per cent, from temples which earn a substantial revenue to those in need of funds for renovation and maintenance.

Puja at 6 a.m.

Priests in all the 34,000 Muzrai temples in Karnataka have been instructed to perform the first puja of the day at the crack of dawn at 6 a.m.

Minister for Housing and Muzrai V. Somanna said that puja would be performed for peace and for rain.

“They will have to do it irrespective of how many people turn up at that hour,” he said.

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