Dissolution of Devasthanam Board to facilitate better management of temples: CM Dhami

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami declared his decision to overturn the Chardham Devasthanam Board on Tuesday through a press conference. The formation of the board was approved in 2019 under the leadership of Ex-CM Rawat, with an aim to facilitate better management and development of around 53 temples including the 4 Dhams in Uttarakhand.

Dehradun:Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami declared his decision of dissolving the Chardham Devasthanam Board on Tuesday in a press conference. The board, constituted in 2019 under the rule of the former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, was given control of over 53 temples including the 4 Dhams in Uttarakhand. The government had said that the formation of this board would facilitate better management and development of all the temples in the state. After the press conference, the CM spoke exclusively to ETV Bharat.

Although CM Dhami could not quote the exact reasons for this dissolution, he stated that a committee was formed to take a call on this decision. After working for three months over all the issues with the board and talking with the saints, priests and people serving the temples under the board, the committee had submitted a well-informed report on the matter. The CM went through the report and its recommendations, based on which the decision of dissolving the board was taken.

When he was asked if the former CM Rawat - who also belongs to the same political party as him - would be disappointed with this dissolution, the CM did not have a concrete answer. "The decision was taken considering the present scenario and needs of the state," he said.

The CM also said that decisions like these are taken keeping in mind the situations and circumstances in the state. After the dissolution of this board, he said that the state will approach development with an aim to turn the state into a cultural and religious capital with inputs from people associated with the temples.

He further added that he had been wanting to dissolve the board ever since he came to power in July 2021, considering the demands of the saints and priests of Uttarakhand's temples. The priests and saints of many temples under the board had expressed displeasure with the sudden intrusion and the modus operandi of the Devasthanam Board.