Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday allocated Rs 1.25 crore towards financial assistance for Hindu devotees to undertake pilgrimage to Manasarovar in China and Muktinath in Nepal.
An announcement in this regard has been made in the State Assembly during the budget session on May 15.
According to a government statement on Saturday, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department will give advertisements in newspapers by October 15 every year for selecting beneficiaries.
The applications from those who seek assistance would be scrutinised as per the rules, it added. The list will be sent to the External Affairs Ministry, which will release the final names.
Of the expenditure of Rs 1 lakh needed for visiting Manasarovar, the State government would provide Rs 40,000 per devotee as assistance. Similarly, of the Rs 25,000 required for visiting Muktinath, Rs 10,000 would be given by the government.
The Chief Minister has granted Rs 1 crore for Manasarovar pilgrims and Rs 25 lakh for Muktinath pilgrims. The assistance would be given to 250 devotees visiting Manasarovar and 250 devotees visiting Muktinath.
Manasarovar is a freshwater lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, 940 km from Lhasa. Muktinath is located at an altitude of 3,710 meters at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass in Mustang of Nepal.
During her campaign for 2011 Assembly polls, Jayalalithaa had promised the people that if elected to power, she would provide financial assistance for Christians willing to visit Jerusalem. She had fulfilled the promise on December 25, 2011.
Comments(4)
Since 500 Christians are to get free pilgrimage to Bethelhem (hope HR&CE funds are not utilized here) through Govt funding and as Christians form only 2% of the population against more than 80% Hindus. 500X40 Hindus i.e 20,000 Hindus should benefit from Govt funding not HR&CE funding for the pilgrimage again the Govt should spend 40 times the amount spent on Christian pilgrimage and every Hindu irrespective of the status should benefit. Otherwise this law is grossly discriminatory in nature. As it is HR&CE is looting the temples by offering 24,000 sq.ft of land at a ridiculous Rent for a prime property in Chennai's Greenways Road for Rs 3000/month with decreasing rents each year! Hardly spends 1% on temples and rituals but swallows 14% of shown income as a jiziya tax
Posted by Sankaran at 08/05/2012 11:35 Reply to this Report abuse
Excellent and correct comment,sankaran, hope jayamma takes due care in future allotments and hope all chief minsiters of all states. particularly bjp ruled states take lead from jayamma's vision and leadership too, shame rss,vhp and bjp leaders were in deep sleep for so many decades and not caring for hindus even in words not to mention no action favouring hindus so far to, it is time that rss,vhp and bjp oldies take sanyas now and leave the leadership to young and aggressive and visionary leaders without delay
Posted by Tin Tin at 08/05/2012 12:58 Reply to this Report abuse
Sorry to disappoint you sir I am no great fan of so called "Jayamma" she is planning to give HR&CE funds for Bethelhem pilgrimage and she used HR&CE funds to fulfil her personal vow of conducting 1008 marriages which she did in Periayar style without Vedic rituals.How can she use HR&CE funds to conduct non-Hindu marriages? And for your info BJP ruled are less corrupt and more efficiently administered than other states. Today in TN the "rate" for VC's post has gone up from 5 crores to 40 crores in a year's time! What did Jaya do to church sponsored anti-KKNPP agitation, she indulged them unlike the way she sent Premkumar with his boots inside a revered 2500 old Mutt she should actually shiver at the thought Premkumar's legs were amputated due to gangrene and died a painful natural death - the ways of the Divine are slow but sure!
Posted by Sankaran at 08/05/2012 18:02 Reply to this Report abuse