Puri: The Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee on Tuesday approved a budget of Rs 154 crore for Srimandir for the year 2020-21.
This has been informed by Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Dr. Krishan Kumar.
The expenditure of Srimandir has increased this year due to COVID-19 pandemic, but the income of the temple has decreased, said the SJTA Chief Administrator after attending the high level meeting of managing committee held under the chairmanship of Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb.
Apart from expenditure for daily rituals at the temple, additional funding was made for setting up of COVID Care Homes for servitors and other related activities, Kumar said.
In order to meet the gap, the temple administration has decided to launch online donation, he added.
He further said that the discussions will be held with Chhatisa Nijog regarding the reopening of the shrine for the devotees.
It will take about a month to be prepared for the reopening. After that, if the State Government gives green signal, we will reopen the temple for devotees, Kumar said.
Besides the budget approval, the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee has also discussed about the Nagarjuna Besha of Lord Jagannath, Kartika rituals and welfare programmes of temple servitors.