Bhubaneswar: The inventory of valuables stored inside the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ of Puri’s Jagannath temple will be conducted after the completion of ongoing repair work in the treasury, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan informed the state assembly Saturday.
In a written reply to a question from BJD MLA Tusharkanti Behera, the minister said that the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ was opened July 14, 2024, by the guidelines approved by the state government.
After shifting the ornaments from the treasury, the repair work is under progress by the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India), he said.
“After completion of the repair work, the inventory of the ornaments will be carried out. Only after that, comprehensive details about the ornaments can be disclosed,” the minister said.
The previous inventory of the valuables stored inside ‘Ratna Bhandar’ was conducted from May 13 to July 23, 1978, he said.
In another written statement to the House, Harichandan said the data collected from old land records shows that there is a total of 60,426.943 acres of land in the name of Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu Bije, Puri, in 24 out of 30 districts of Odisha.
Of these lands, 38,061.892 acres are in the Record of Rights in the name of Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu Bije, Puri at present, he said.
The minister further said that the temple has received revenue of Rs 33.02 crore from the landed properties available in the state during the financial year 2023-24.
Similarly, 607.760 acres of land of Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu Bije, Puri, spread over 259 plots in Puri tehsil have been acquired for the proposed Vedanta University in Puri and the temple office has received Rs 8.80 crore for this, he added.
PTI