BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday launched ‘Samarpan’, a digital donation (Hundi) platform for devotees of Lord Jagannath ahead of the annual Rath Yatra in Puri.
The initiative, developed jointly by the Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC) under the Electronics and Information Technology (E&IT) department and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), enables devotees from across the world to make secure online donations to the 12th-century shrine without visiting Puri.
Launching the platform at the SJTA office in Puri, the chief minister said Samarpan would serve as a “sacred digital bridge” connecting millions of Jagannath devotees worldwide with the temple. He said the donations collected through the platform would be utilised for the temple’s development, conservation and maintenance.
Describing the initiative as more than just a technological innovation, Majhi said it reflects the government’s commitment to transparency, convenience and people-centric governance while strengthening the spiritual bond between devotees and the Shree Jagannath temple.
The digital platform has been integrated with the temple’s official portal and is supported by a dedicated mobile application. Devotees can log in using their mobile number and OTP to make donations through multiple payment options, including UPI, internet banking, debit and credit cards and WhatsApp-enabled payments. A digital receipt is generated instantly after every successful transaction.
There is no upper limit on donations, allowing devotees to contribute any amount starting from `1 according to their capacity. Donors contributing to the temple’s repair and renovation fund and corpus fund can also avail of income tax benefits by furnishing their PAN details.
Besides facilitating donations, the mobile application offers devotees access to temple information, daily rituals and announcements, latest updates, and online booking of rooms at Bhakta Nivas for pilgrims visiting Puri. The chief minister expressed confidence that the digital initiative would become a milestone in preserving Lord Jagannath’s traditions while ensuring greater participation of devotees across the globe in the temple’s activities.
Law minister Prithviraj Harichandan, Commerce and Transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, Puri MP Sambit Patra, chief secretary Anu Garg, additional chief secretary Home Hemant Kumar Sharma, SJTA chief administrator Aravind Kumar Padhee, additional chief secretary, E&IT department Vishal Dev were present at the launch.
