Chennai, Oct 13 (BPNS)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin virtually launched the preliminary work regarding melting of temple gold ornaments and converting them into gold bars. These gold ornaments are those that are under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Act.

Stalin launched the work at Arulmigu Karumariyamman Temple at Tiruverkadu, Arulmigu Mariamman temple at Samayapuram, and Arulmigu Mariamman Temple at Irukkankudi and the gold ornaments at these temples would be melted and converted to gold bars.

The HR&CE department in a statement said that since 1979 gold donated by devotees to temples has been converted into 24-carat gold bars.

The statement also said that 497.795 kg of temple gold ornaments have been deposited in nationalized banks and gold jewelry from nine temples has so far been melted at the Indian Government Mint in Mumbai.

The state government had appointed retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice D Raju, and two retired High Court Judges,  Justices K Ravichandrababu and R. Mala to head three panels to oversee the melting of temple gold ornaments to gold bars. The bars deposited in nationalized banks would fetch interest that would be used for maintaining the temples.