What happens to money collected in temples?

As per this law, all the revenues generated by the temple (including Hundi funds) will go to the Govt (not the temple priests/heads) and it is the prerogative of the Govt to decide how much of this revenue will be returned to the temples for their maintenance.

Does government of India take money from temples?

This, however, is not really true for any state. Any donations given to a temple — whether from collections in the hundi, or given privately — go into its bank account. Therefore, the government cannot take the temples’ income, or put that money to its own use.

Does temples come under government?

Moreover, a majority of over 100,000 temples in the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana and Puducherry are also under direct control of the state. Over 19,000 important temples are directly “managed” by government officials, in the absence of temple trustees from among Hindu society.

What is endowment income?

An endowment is a pot of donated money intended to provide a reliable stream of income for charitable or educational purposes over the long term. Endowment funds are invested and a portion of their value is paid out each year.

How did the Hindu Religious Endowment Board take over temples?

But a radical change was introduced in the legislation by way of Act XII of 1935, through which temples could be notified by the government and their administration taken over. This way the Hindu Religious Endowment Board assumed powers to take over and administer temples. The board consisted of three to five members.

Why should the government give money to Hindu temples?

One, it is only for Hindu temples that the government wishes to ensure proper administration and its income used for ‘correct’ purposes. Two, contributions made to Hindu temples is used by the commissioner uses to fund various government programmes.

What happens to the hundi funds of temples in Karnataka?

As per this law, all the revenues generated by the temple (including Hundi funds) will go to the Govt (not the temple priests/heads) and it is the prerogative of the Govt to decide how much of this revenue will be returned to the temples for their maintenance. Here is one such act implemented in Karnataka in 1997 superseding all the previous acts.

Can a government take revenue from a temple and divert it?

There have been instances where a state govt had collected all the revenues from temples, but returned only a part of it to them for their maintenance & salaries, and diverted rest of the revenues (from Hindu temples) towards subsidizing Haj, funding Madrassas & Missionaries!!