To check fleecing, government portal to collect Ajmer dargah donations

NEW DELHI: Fearing that thousands of devotees of the famed Khwaja Saheb Dargah at Ajmer were being fleeced by 150-200 websites which seek donations in the name of the revered shrine, the government has set up a portal to channel all contributions to the dargah through a State Bank of India online payment gateway.

The ministry of minority affairs is also planning to seek a tie-up with Google to ensure that when anyone types for information for making a donation to the dargah the government website becomes the default option. Every year, the dargah gets donations running into crores from devotees. It is estimated that the average footfall in the dargah on a daily basis is over 20,000. On major festival days, the number of devotees run into lakhs.

The portal, launched recently, makes it clear the dargah is managed by the ministry of minority affairs through the dargah panel. The nazim and chief executive officer appointed by the government exercise delegated powers of dargah committee. The committee is a statutory body constituted under the Dargah Khwaja Saheb Act of 1955.

The portal has been set up to enable donations made for the dargah to be directed to the dargah management which can be used for the management of the complex causes. The website states the committee is in charge of arrangement on the premises, maintenance of buildings and to ensure regular supply of electricity and water.