Bhubaneswar: Odisha Law Minister Pratap Jena today revealed that the inner and outer Ratna Bhandar of Puri Srimandir had 12838 bhari (10 gms approx) gold ornaments, 22153 bhari silver and 12 unweighed gold & silver items based on the assessment done in 1978.
This important information was given by Jena at the Odisha Assembly in a written reply to BJP MLA Dilip Ray who sought an answer from him on the missing Ratna Bhandar Key.
The law minister said that the above data was based on the list that was prepared in 1978 between May 5 and May 23 after an assessment.
Jena also stated that the ornaments mentioned as per the assessment will be tallied with those in the treasury after conducting a review of the reports to be submitted by the probe committee on the Ratna Bhandar.
However, he stated that exact value of these ornaments can only be ascertained after researchers provide an approximate estimation.
This apart, Jena stated that Rs 70,67,92,000 (Rs 70.67 cr) has been collected from the temple hundi (donation box) since 1983.