Karnataka Temple Bill
Source: Live Mint
GS II: Governance
Overview
- News in Brief
- About Karnataka Temple Bill
- Comparison with Other state
Why in the News?
The State Legislative Assembly passed the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
News in Brief
- Karnataka Cabinet passed the controversial Temple Bill.
- It will now be sent to the governor for his assent, following which it will become law.
- The proposed bill was defeated by a voice vote in the upper house where the opposition has a majority.
- Karnataka’s Temple Bill was reconsidered and it has now received the green light in both Assembly and Legislative Council.
About Karnataka Temple Bill
- The Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024 proposes to collect 5% from temples whose gross income is between ₹10 lakh and less than ₹one crore.
- For temples whose annual income is above ₹1 crore, the state government will collect 10% of the funds.
- These funds will be put into a Common Pool Fund, administered by Rajya Dharmika Parishath.
- What is the purpose of collecting Money?
- The Common Pool Fund is proposed to be used for the welfare of archakas/priests (like insurance cover, death relief fund, and scholarships to children from families of around 40,000 priests and other employees).
- Upkeep of C-category temples (state-controlled) whose annual income is less than ₹5 lakh.
- The Department of Religious and Charitable Endowments, popularly known as the Muzrai department administers about 35,000 Hindu religious institutions which receive grants from the Government of Karnataka.
Previously, temples with annual income between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh used to give 5% of their net income to the Common Pool Fund, and temples with an annual income of over ₹10 lakh used to give 10% of the net income into the fund.
Why oppose the Bill?
- The opposition has called the bill anti-Hindu.
- Karnataka was trying to fill its treasury with temple money.
- The government would divert the revenue from temples to other religions.
Comparison with Other state
- Kerala, temples are managed by state-run Devaswom (temple) Boards and giving grants.
- Telangana, religious institutions making more than ₹50,000 annually are required to pay 1.5% of their annual income to the state government.
- Uttarkahnd, 51 temples and shrines including Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri were freed from the state government’s control in 2021.
- The Law Commission of India suggested that the law should be passed to check the misuse of funds and properties of temples.
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