Muzrai dept grants only for Hindu religious institutions, temples: Kota Srinivas Poojary

Bengaluru: Muzrai Minister Kota Sreenivasa Poojary has instructed the Hindu Religious Institutions And Charitable Endowments Department not to allocate its ”tasdik” grants to non-Hindu religious institutions.

The Minister said the grants from the endowments department will only be spent on Hindu temples and institutions, and appropriate instructions have been given in this regard.

This was following concerns expressed by a section of the religious leaders that the funds under the department were being diverted to non-Hindu institutions.

”I hereby clarify that out of 34,500 Hindu temples in Karnataka, 27,000 temples are released Rs 48,000 (each) annually, totalling up to about Rs 133 crore as tasdik grants.

Other than this, religious centres that have lost land during land reforms are released other allowances,” Poojary said in a video statement.

He said, on getting to know about widespread criticism, he got a report from the commissioner of the department, according to which out of 27,000 temples, 764 non-Hindu religious institutions and temples were receiving tasdik annually and 111 of them are also getting other allowance.

”As per law, the grant given by the endowment department can only be spent on Hindu religious institutions…

so I have instructed the officials that, here on, the grants from the department should only be spent for Hindu temples,” Poojary said.

The Endowment Commissioner, following his instructions, has written to the Chief Secretary and an order will be issued in a couple of days, he further said, adding that non-Hindu religious institutions can obtain grants from other departments like the Minorities Welfare.

According to officials, tasdik grants are a form of compensation paid to the Religious Institutions for their lands vested with the government under Karnataka Inam Abolition Act 1955 section 21 and Karnataka other Inam abolition Act 1977.