Bhubaneswar: In a bid to ensure the systematic management, ritual governance, and preservation of ancient temples in Odisha, the state government will soon formulate a comprehensive policy. Law, Works, and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan announced this today during a key meeting at the Law Department’s conference hall.
To build a robust and effective framework, the government will study successful temple management models from states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. “We aim to adopt the best practices and develop a policy tailored to Odisha’s cultural and administrative context,” the Minister said.
Minister Harichandan instructed officials of the Endowment Department to conduct on-ground surveys across different regions of the state to assess the current condition of ancient temples. Based on the findings, the government will roll out targeted initiatives for disciplined temple management, repair, and conservation of deteriorating structures.
The modernization of the Endowment Commissioner’s website is also on the agenda, with an aim to make essential information related to temples accessible to the public in a transparent and user-friendly manner.
Key discussions during the meeting included policies for both endowment and privately owned temples, organizing religious festivals, provision of special grants for temple upkeep, and the legal rights of servitors based on archival documents. The responsibilities of temple trust boards, duties of endowment inspectors, and the need for fresh appointments to accelerate departmental work under the Odisha Hindu Religious Endowments (OHRE) Act, 1951, were also reviewed.
Minister Harichandan emphasized collaborative efforts to fulfill the state government’s vision under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for the holistic development of religious institutions in Odisha.
The meeting was attended by Law Department Principal Secretary Manas Ranjan Barik, Endowment Commissioner Lalatendu Jena, Special Secretary Pranab Kumar Patra, Additional Secretaries Shiv Prasad Mahapatra and Bhagaban Prasad Sahu, along with other senior officials of the Endowment Department.
