PURI: The Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Wednesday passed a budget of Rs 239.81 crore for 2015-16 financial year. The budget would be placed before the State Government for approval. Apparently, this is the highest budget set in the history of the temple. While last year’s budget was Rs 103.82 lakh, it was increased this year to include the Nabakalebara expenses that the SJTA would incur.
As far as income is concerned, the temple governing body depends on grants by the State Government, which is estimated at around Rs 110 crore. Income from land revenue is Rs 58.54 crore and that from temple complex is Rs 15.4 crore. Income from other sources is pegged at Rs 53.33 crore. When it comes to expenses, Rs 21.67 crore has been estimated for Nabakalebara rituals of the three divine siblings. Nabakalebara- related development works would cost the temple administration Rs 50.5 lakh.
An amount of Rs 3.27 crore is required for administrative expenses of the temple and Rs 15.32 crore for conduct of daily rituals of the deities. The temple administration would spend Rs 20 crore on silver plating of Jay Vijaya doors in the temple and widening of roads around the shrine will cost another Rs 20 crore. In the budget, welfare of temple servitors has been given priority as Rs 11.17 crore is being earmarked for the purpose. This apart, Rs three crore has been set aside for construction of a school for the children of temple servitors and Rs 50 lakh for establishment of a museum at Gundicha Temple.
An amount of Rs two crore would be spent on raising the protection walls around the Endowment property of the temple. Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Dev, chairperson of the SJTA, presided over the meeting while Chief Administrator of the temple, Suresh Chandra Mahapatra presented the budget. All members of the SJTA were present