Bihar revenue dept also seeks authorisation to monitor temple property to stop illegal sale

Patna, Mar 12 (PTI) In a bid to curb encroachment and illegal sale and purchase of property belonging to temples, mutts and trusts, the Bihar Revenue and Land Reforms department on Wednesday requested the law department to also allow them to maintain records of these immovable assets on their website.

Currently, the Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT), under the law department, manages records for registered temples, mutts and trusts.

State Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Sanjay Saraogi said in the assembly that the process of uploading these details is slow.

"The department has requested the law department to allow them to maintain and upload these records on the revenue and land reforms website to speed up the process and prevent encroachment and illegal transactions," he said.

"We have also come to know that people with vested interests are indulging in encroachment and illegal sale/purchase of such property," he added.

Saraogi emphasised the need for coordination between both departments to prevent these illegal activities and ensure better management of the assets.

All public temples, mutts, trusts and dharamshalas in Bihar must be registered with the BSBRT under the Bihar Hindu Religious Trusts Act, 1950. The BSBRT takes strict action against illegal activities related to these property.

District administrations have already been instructed to provide the details of immovable assets of registered temples and mutts to the BSBRT for uploading on their website.

Recent data from the BSBRT (from 35 districts) shows that there are around 2,512 unregistered temples and mutts in the state, owning 4,321.64 acres.

There are around 2,499 registered temples with more than 18,456 acres.

The highest number of unregistered temples and mutts is in Vaishali (438), Kaimur Bhabhua (307), and West Champaran (273), Bhagalpur (191), Begusarai (185), Saran (154), Gaya (152), etc.

Around 813 acres are owned by 307 unregistered temples/mutts in Kaimur Bhabhua and 722 acres belong to 100 unregistered public temples and mutts in Khagaria districts.

In Banka district around 332 acres belong to 78 unregistered temples and mutts, officials said. PTI PKD MNB