JAIPUR, INDIA, March 5, 2003: Even Gods and Goddesses will receive relief in drought-hit Rajasthan’s annual budget for the next fiscal year. Presenting the budget in the state assembly on Wednesday, Finance Minister Pradyuman Singh said temples were falling to ruins in the absence of proper maintenance. Many temples were not in a position to manage rituals, pujas and “bhog” (prasadam, food offered to the Deity) due to the paucity of funds, he said. “For such temples, the government has made an additional provision of US$210,000,” he said. The government announced a similar amount for the “Gau Seva Ayog” for cow protection measures. An additional allocation of $100,000 was made for the Waqf Board and Madarsa Board for the maintenance of Waqf Properties (mosques) and for modern education in madarsas (Muslim schools).
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