THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government on Monday refuted allegations that assets and income of devaswom boards were diverted for other purposes and stated that temples were given funds from the state exchequer.
The government has spent about Rs 235 crore on temples under various boards from the state exchequer, Devaswom Minister V S Sivakumar said while replying to a submission moved by V D Satheesan (Congress). And not a single paisa from the temples has gone to the state treasury, he said.
“After this government came to power, Rs 106.30 crore has been spent on Travancore Devaswom Board, Rs 60.31 on Malabar Devaswom Board, Rs 62.18 crore for providing security at Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Rs 2 crore on Cochin Devaswom Board and Rs 50 lakh on oodalmanickam temple from the state exchequer,” he said.
The government has given Rs 5 lakh and Rs 4 lakh respectively for renovation of Chamravattom and Chovaloor temples. Rs 540 crore, including Rs 95.5 crore allotted this year, has been spent on construction and renovation of Sabarimala roads. Development activities worth crores of rupees is being taken up as part of the Sabarimala master plan, he said.
Sivakumar mentioned that Rs 65 crore was spent on development activities at Sabarimala and Pampa, which included sewage treatment plant, queue complex, toilet blocks at Sabarimala and parking ground at Nilakel. A hospital complex has been built at Pampa for Rs 15 crore. The foundation stone has been laid for a new hospital at Sannidhanam, which will cost around Rs 5 crore, he said.