Shirdi temple has ornaments, jewellery worth over Rs 32-cr

NAGPUR: The famous pilgrim centre of Shri Saibaba temple in Shirdi, one of the richest temples in Maharashtra, has ornaments and jewellery worth over Rs 32-crore and investments running into Rs 4,27,17,02,929-crore, according to official documents.

The administration of Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust (Shirdi), governed by the Managing Committee which was constituted by the Maharashtra Government way back on August 23, 2004 has Kisan Vikas Patras worth Rs 51,71,00,100 crores besides Government of India eight-percent Saving Bonds amounting to Rs 48,15,53,000-cr and Rs 8-cr in non-reedmable bonds of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran, and Rs 3,19,30,49,929-cr in various nationalised banks.

It has Rs 47,82,31,835.64-crore as Trust Corpus Fund. The temple trust has ornaments and jewellery including Gold worth Rs 24,41,10,640-cr, Silver-Rs 3,26,19,152-cr; Silver coins- Rs 612,317; Gold Coins--Rs 1,28,89,749-cr and Gold pendants worth Rs 1,12,31,903-cr, the Trust Auditor Sharad S Gaikwad said in its annuul audit for 2009-10 as the annual report was tabled in the State Legislature during its winter session in December 2010 here.

The total worth of the ornaments and jewellery stands at Rs 32,23,59,372 crores.

The temple has earned a surplus income of Rs 94,67,79,142 in year 2009-10 as against Rs 87,22,71,012 in year 2008-09.

The total income durng the year 2009-10 was Rs 1,64,88,01,030 by way of rent, interest on savings bank accounts, investments and donations against Rs 1,51,51,43,503 in previous year. The immovable property and buildings are worth Rs 79,28,30,95-cr including the Statue of Saibaba worth Rs eight lakhs, the annual report stated.