The BJP government sanctioned `617 crore for various religious institutions in the last three years, according to an official statement made by Endowment Minister Prakash Hukkeri.
In a written reply to a question asked by Congress MLA Vasanth Bangera, the minister said that the previous BJP government between 2010 and 2013 had released Rs 491.57 crore for 5,583 temples and Rs 125.6 crore to various mutts across the state and outside the state (Rs 111 crore). The BJP had three chief ministers during this period starting from B S Yeddyurappa, followed by D V Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar at the end.
These funds are said to have been released during Yeddyurappa and Gowda period. The incumbent Congress government headed by CM Siddaramaiah presented a revised Budget on June 12 by scrapping the Shettar’s Budget presented just prior to the Assembly polls in March this year.
Siddaramaiah in his Budget has set aside Rs 95 crore for backward classes and minorities religious institutions towards construction of hostels and community halls.