‘Ram Mandir trust paid Rs 396 cr to govt in five years’
Ayodhya: A crucial meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust was held at Mani Ram Das Chawni in Ayodhya under the chairmanship of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das Maharaj. The meeting, which took place at his temple, was attended by seven trust members along with four invited members.
After the meeting, Trust General Secretary Champat Rai addressed the media and presented the financial details of the trust. He shared that the trust, established on February 5, 2020, has deposited Rs 396 crore in various government accounts over the past five years. This includes Rs 272 crore paid as GST, Rs 39 crore as royalty, Rs 7.4 crore allocated to the Labour Fund, and Rs 4 crore for insurance policies. Additionally, Rs 5 crore was paid to the Ayodhya Development Authority for land registration and revenue tax, while Rs 10 crore was spent on electricity bills. The trust has also spent Rs 14.9 crore on royalty payments. The total expenditure over the past five years stands at Rs 2,150 crore, with 18 percent tax paid to the government, he said.
The Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam has been awarded a Rs 200 crore contract for the construction of a Ram Katha museum, the trust office and a rest house., Rai added. He further said that the 944 kilograms of silver donated by devotees have been converted into 20-kilogram silver bricks and stored securely in bank lockers. An ERP system has been implemented for error-free financial management after two years of rigorous effort.
Rai also shared the progress of the Ram Mandir construction, stating that 96 percent of the work has been completed. The Ram Lalla temple is expected to be ready by June, while the construction of the Parikrama will continue until October. The Shabri Nishad and Rishi Mandirs are scheduled for completion by May, while the Sheshavatar Mandir will be finished by August. The idol of Saint Tulsidas has already been installed and its unveiling will take place on Ram Navami, which falls on April 17 this year. By April 30, all the deities’ idols will be installed in their respective temples within the Ram Mandir complex.
So far, Rs 1,200 crore has been paid to Larsen & Toubro for the temple’s construction.
A guest house for devotees will soon be operational, allowing visitors to stay at a nominal cost.
Meanwhile, special arrangements have been made for the upcoming Ram Navami celebrations. From March 29, Atul Krishna Bharadwaj will conduct the Ram Katha at Angad Tila. Devotees will also have the opportunity to offer flower garlands and perform aarti at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. Recitations of the Valmiki Ramayana, Ramcharitmanas, and Thakur Ramayana will be held, along with the chanting of one lakh mantras from Durga Saptashati.
The highlight of the celebrations will be the sunlight consecration of Ram Lalla’s forehead at exactly 12 noon on Ram Navami, when sun rays will directly illuminate the idol’s forehead for approximately four minutes. This divine event will be broadcast live on Doordarshan from over 50 locations, and LED screens will be installed across the city for public viewing.
