Private company to keep record of 27000 acre land misused by PMDS

Why is need felt for appointment of a private company ? Isn’t Government’s Devasthan Samiti capable of keeping records of lands ? There is no alternative to hand over management of Devasthans to devotees; by freeing them from clutches of incompetent Government committees ! – Editor, Hindujagruti

Kolhapur : 27000 acres of land under the jurisdiction of ‘Pashchim Maharashtra Devasthan Samiti’ is being misused instead of using it for  taking care of expenses required for managing temples. Information about the lands, their misuse and defaults in payment of dues is not available with Devasthan Samiti; therefore, in last 20 years, the Samiti has lost income worth billions of rupees. Hence, to expose such ineptitude and keeping record of land under control of Devasthan Samiti, its users and record of people who acquired the land in auctions, it has been decided to engage a private company for the job. (In the year 2015, Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad exposed scam worth billions of rupees in management by Pashchim Maharashtra Devasthan Samiti and the Chief Minister had promised in the year 2016 during State Assembly session, to conduct investigations into the scam, through special investigation team (SIT) within 6 months; however, SIT is very slow in its work and inquiry is still going on. Owing to lack of political will and sloppy job of Government administration, no action has been taken against the guilty. Stringent action should be taken against persons responsible for such delay ! – Editor, Dainik Sanatan Prabhat)  

1. Devasthan Samiti is looking after 3064 temples and 27000 acres of land is spread in 23 talukas for taking care of management of these temples. These lands have been given to some families for cultivation since past hundreds of years as per customs and traditions as also through auction.

2. Devasthan Samiti is required to pay nominal tax in lieu of the above as per rules; but many people have not deposited the amounts due to Devasthans for several years; moreover, they have even sold the lands.

3. Few persons have mortgaged the lands and taken loans for construction of own houses. Devasthan Samiti has neither kept records of lands; nor has it inspected the lands under its control; nor has it checked whether the people to whom lands are given for cultivation, are paying dues. In fact, with the connivance of officers and workers of Devastahn Samiti, many users of lands have started using the lands for commercial purposes and making lot of money by such misuse. Audit will therefore, be undertaken to stop such misuse and to have control over users of lands.

4. The post of Chairman of Devasthan Samiti was lying vacant since the year 2010. Also, under political pressure and with the connivance of workers, cases of tax evasion have gone up; but no action has been taken against the guilty involved in such mismanagement.

5. Presently, 25 cases of misappropriation have been exposed through complaints lodged by local residents and Devasthan Samiti’s Chairman Mahesh Jadhav has taken such decision regarding lands of Devasthan Samiti.

Source : Dainik Sanatan Prabhat