Odisha to roll out ‘Debalaya’ Yojana to preserve temples, mutts

The Odisha government is mulling roll out of ‘Debalaya’ Yojana to preserve temples and mutts across the State, informed Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Monday.

Speaking to the media in Bhubaneswar, Harichandan said, “The yojana will help preserve the temples and mutts and address the issues pertaining to the functioning of religious institutions across the State.”

“After taking the problems faced by the temple authorities into consideration, our government is planning to come up with a dedicated scheme to address such issues,” he added.

While the previous BJD government-launched Augmentation Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme only aimed at carrying out repair works of the temples, the BJP government's new scheme will address many other issues faced by the temple authorities, the Law Minister said.

In the primary phase, problems related to repairing, restoration and temple management will be addressed under the new initiative and a blueprint for the same is being prepared by the government, he said, adding, "Our government is committed to preserving and protecting the temples and mutts which have rich cultural heritage."