Bhubaneswar: Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan announced that the long-pending inventory of valuables in the Ratna Bhandar of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will be carried out soon. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has nominated two officials to oversee the process, and their presence will be essential during the inventory.
A Temple Management Committee will be formed shortly to decide the date for the inventory process. The committee will work with the RBI-nominated experts to ensure a transparent and systematic inventory of the temple’s ornaments and valuables.
“Following our letter, the RBI has nominated two experts for the inventory of valuables stored in Ratna Bhandar. A letter has been sent to us by the RBI in this regard. The temple management committee will be constituted soon. Later, the High-level committee, with the permission of the management committee, will start the process of shifting jewellery and ornaments to the Ratna Bhandar. After the shifting of the valuables to the Ratna Bhandar, we will intimate the date of inventory to experts nominated by the RBI,” said the Law Minister.
The process is in its final stages of preparation, and the state government is moving to ensure the inventory is carried out smoothly. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team has recently completed the repair and restoration work of the Ratna Bhandar, which involved replacing 520 damaged stones and using 15 stainless steel beams.
The valuables stored in the inner and outer chambers of the Ratna Bhandar have been shifted to temporary rooms inside the temple premises. The inventory process will begin once the Temple Management Committee decides on a date, and the RBI-nominated experts will be present to oversee the process.
