• Chamundi Hill and 24 other temples to get facelift
• Basavaraj Bommai calls for Temple Tourism
• Moots Tourism Circuit linking North, South, Coast

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai yesterday launched the Integrated Temple Management System (ITMS) developed by the Hindu Endowments Department. The ITMS is a mobile app which seeks to streamline information on Temples for devotees.

The CM also flagged off the ‘Daiva Sankalpa’ project under which 205 Category ‘A’ Muzrai temples will get a facelift. In the first phase, 25 temples will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,140 crore.

This will cover popular temples like Sri Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hill in Mysuru, Kukke Subrahmanya, Male Mahadeshwara, Kollur Mookambika, Yediyur Siddhalingeshwara, Savadatti Yellamma and others. Accommodation facilities, roads, drinking water, multilevel car parking, food halls, commercial complexes, toilets and solid waste management will be provided under the ‘Daiva Sankalpa’ project.

ITMS features

The ITMS will provide details of temples, including properties owned by them, route maps to reach temples, sevas offered and their rate charts, among other details. It will also be a gateway for devotees to donate money and help generate revenue for temples. Citizens can book slots for various sevas and also donate to temples by visiting itms.kar.nic.in

The inauguration was held in the presence of Minister for Muzrai, Haj & Wakf Shashikala Annasaheb Jolle, MLA S.A. Ramdas and State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri.

Speaking on the occasion, Bommai said the temple managements should be given priority and there is a need to record the number of pilgrims visiting temples and the system to manage temple assets needs to be streamlined.

Bommai advocated the need for a master plan to provide amenities at the temples. Emphasising on building a Tourism Circuit, the Chief Minister said, there is immense potential for Temple Tourism in Northern, Southern and coastal parts of Karnataka.

Integrated development of temples

Integrated development of temples and reforms in their administration should be taken up. “Along with management, proper control is needed as it involves the contribution of pilgrims and assets of temples,” he said. There is huge scope for Monument Tourism too and these two can be integrated, he added.

Bommai also assured temple archakas that he would address their issues and called for maintenance of cleanliness in temples and also pollution-free ambience in temple premises.

In Karnataka, there are more than 34,000 temples where about 50,000 archaks, pradhan archaks, Group C and D employees, including contract workers, work.

“The ITMS is in line with PM Modi’s Digital India dream,” said Minister Shashikala Jolle. “The ITMS and ‘Daiva Sankalpa’ are two of our Department’s ambitious projects. Our Department is committed to provide excellent facilities to lakhs of devotees visiting the temples. Implementation of ITMS will make temple administration transparent and use funds efficiently,” she said.