By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/NEW DELHI: Union PNG-Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday written a letter to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking his intervention in bringing 4 more temples—Maa Biraja Temple, Maa Samaleswari Temple, Maa Tara Tarini Temple and Shri Nilamadhav Temple under similar ordinance as proposed for Shri Lingaraj Temple for managing their affairs.
The PNG-Steel Minister Pradhan said these iconic temples in Jajpur, Sambalpur, Ganjam and Nayagarh respectively have immense religious and social-cultural significance for the people of Odisha and form an intangible resource for spiritual & devotional tourism, and also define the day-to-day life of citizens.
“Keeping in mind the long over-due need for bringing reforms in the governance and management of these 4 key temples in Odisha, have requested Hon. CM to bring them under guidelines along the lines of Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955 and Shri Lingaraj Temple Ordinance, 2020,” Pradhan wrote.
Earlier on Monday, the State Cabinet had approved a proposal to bring an Ordinance to constitute a managing committee for the affairs of the Bhubaneswar Lingaraj Temple and its properties to ensure their better administration. An administrator would be appointed to look after the temple’s day-to-day management.Presently, the management of the temple is governed under the Odisha Hindu Religious Endowment Act, 1951.
Notably, on December 2, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had visited the Lingaraj Temple while taking an on-spot review of the Ekamra Kshetra heritage project. During a discussion, servitors requested him for a special Lingaraj Temple Act.The servitors welcomed the decision for an Ordinance for management of the temple affairs by burning earthen lamps in front of the shrine.
