After ex-SC judge’s ‘Communist govt taking over shrines’ comment, Kerala minister says aid worth Rs 229 crore given to temples

Answering a written question from four CPI(M) legislators, State Temple Affairs Minister K Radhakrishnan told the Assembly the government had given an assistance of Rs 165 crore to the Travancore Devaswom Board, Cochin Devaswom Board, Malabar Devaswom Board, and Koodalmanikyam Devaswom Board to tide over the crisis created by the coronavirus pandemic and floods of 2018.

Radhakrishnan said, of these allocations, the Travancore Devaswom Board, which runs the Sabarimala temple among other places of worship in Southern Kerala, had got the aid of Rs 120 crore.

That apart, the minister said after the present LDF regime assumed office in May 2021, the Travancore Devaswom Board was given a grant-in-aid of Rs 20 crore and the Malabar Devaswom Board Rs 44 crore.

Radhakrishnan said the state government has also given directions to temple boards to develop vacant lands in temples for commercial ventures, including farming. Temple boards have been directed to develop shopping complexes, trade fair centres, and farms in their lands as part of finding new sources of income.

The minister said the government has taken steps to meet the additional financial burden caused by the hike in the salary of employees and dearness allowances of pensioners at the Travancore Devaswom Board.

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