UP: Ram temple trust received Rs 41 crore in donation, says treasurer

LUCKNOW: Even before the construction of the Ram temple could begin, donations have started pouring in. In fact, as on date, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra has a kitty of about Rs 41 crore.
This does not include the donation made by religious leaders, including Swami Chiddanand Saraswati of the Parmarth Niketan, Swami Avdeshanand Giri of the Juna Akhada and Baba Ram Dev and other dignitaries who arrived on Wednesday.
“Total donation to the trust stood at Rs 30 crore when the logbook was last seen on Tuesday. Another Rs 11 crore was donated by Morari Babu, which makes it about Rs 41 crore. However, the amount doesn’t include donations made on Wednesday,” said Swami Govind Dev Giri, treasurer of the trust.
The seer also stated that people had contributed for the cause of Ram Temple even during the Covid-19 pandemic. Sources revealed donations of Rs 4.60 crore came in two separate official accounts of the trust since March 25 when Lockdown-1 was imposed.
Online donations also came for the temple from the next day the trust rolled out a net banking option on Ram Navami this year. Sources confided that over 5,000 people have availed the option. “The interesting part is that people are contributing from Rs 11 to whatever they can afford. But bigger amounts have come via cheques or e-banking,” said a trust member.
The treasurer further said that the trust was loaded with queries for donation from overseas. “We cannot accept money from NRIs till we get the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act certification which is in process. Then, the trust will immediately get donations worth Rs 5-7 crore,” he said.
Trust officials made it clear they were not averse to accepting donations from people of other religions.