Door-to-door collection has stopped, Ram Temple to be ready in 3 years: Champat Rai
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the Bhumi Puja and Shila Puja on August 5 last year at the Ram Janmabhoomi
The General Secretary of Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Champat Rai today said that door-to-door collection has stopped for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
He said,"People can donate online on the Trust's website. We are in talks to acquire land for a ground in front of the temple but nothing decided yet. Temple to be ready in 3 years."
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The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has mandated the VHP to collect funds for the temple's construction. The nationwide drive to collect donations was kicked off in January.
"How the foundation shall be built, that has been decided just now. The excavation has begun but the actual foundation construction has not begun.It will start ithis January," Swami Govinda Dev Giri ji Maharaj, Treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust said at a press conference.
Asked about the total cost of the project, he said he "guessed" that the cost of the main temple within the boundary should be between ₹300 crore to ₹400 crore.
The total cost could be over ₹1,100 crore, which includes the ₹300 crore to ₹400 crore for the main temple and the development of 67 acres (at the complex), he said.
Giri ji Maharaj said more than ₹100 crore of donations has been collected as per accounts in Ayodhya.
Asked if donations for temple construction would be accepted from foreign countries as well, he said they are not being allowed at present as FCRA (Foreign Contributions Regulation Act) facility is not available.
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However, FCRA facility (permissions as per FCRA) is expected to be available in two months, he said.
"We don't want to build just a temple of stones and bricks.We want to build the nation.We want to build the national spirit.The spirit of love, the spirit of philanthropy, the spirit of universal brotherhood and at the same time, spirit of might," he said. People would listen only if the country is strong, he said.
The temple would belong to the whole nation with donations received from all, he said.
He recalled that an industrialist had offered that his family would bear the cost of construction.
Saying that Ayodhya would be the cultural capital of the world after the construction of Ram temple, he said youths from neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan would be invited to Ayodhya every year and they will be allowed to tour thecountry, with a view to bringing people together and promote their understanding of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the Bhumi Puja and Shila Puja on August 5 at the Ram Janmabhoomi
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