Dikhyaa Mohanty 
n a bid to ensure the systematic management, ritual governance, and preservation of ancient temples in Odisha, the state government will soon formulate a comprehensive policy. Law, Works, and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan announced this today during a key meeting at the Law Department’s conference hall. To build a robust and effective framework, the government will study successful temple management models from states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. “We aim to adopt the best practices and develop a policy tailored to Odisha’s cultural and administrative context,” the Minister said.
Minister Harichandan instructed officials of the Endowment Department to conduct on-ground surveys across different regions of the state to assess the current condition of ancient temples. Based on the findings, the government will roll out targeted initiatives for disciplined temple management, repair, and conservation of deteriorating structures. The modernization of the Endowment Commissioner’s website is also on the agenda, with an aim to make essential information related to temples accessible to the public in a transparent and user-friendly manner.
Policies for both privately and endowment-owned temples, planning religious festivals, allocating special funds for temple maintenance, and the legal rights of servants based on archive records were among the main topics of discussion during the conference. Under the Odisha Hindu Religious Endowments (OHRE) Act, 1951, the functions of temple trust boards, endowment inspectors, and the necessity of new hires to expedite departmental work were also examined.
