Patna: The State Religious Trust Board has taken a major decision on public temples in Bihar. From now on, all public temples in the state will have to pay 4 per cent tax. The religious trust board's decision also covers temples that a person opens to all people after he builds them in his house. All of them will have to register themselves from now on and pay tax.
The Religious Trust Board has decided to launch a special drive for the registration of temples from December 1. In view of this move, the Board has asked all collectors of the state for details of temples running without registration. Registration of temples will be started as soon as the list is received from the districts. However, so far only the Collector of the Bhojpur district has shared information about the temples. Talking to the public, Religious Trust Board member and Mahant Vijay Shankar Giri said that the situation is very clear that all the temples where outsiders come and offer prayers will be counted as public places of worship. Even if that temple is within a house. All of them will have to pay tax after registering themselves.
The Bihar State Religious Trust Board has claimed that at present only 4600 temples are registered in the state. While there are many major temples that have not yet registered themselves. A temple is built by a person or family and is worshipped only by a person or his family. That temple is a private temple. On the contrary, if a temple is visited by many people, worships, it falls under the category of public temples. Even if it is on one's private property.
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