Govt has no role in keeping Shri Jagannath Temple deposits in Yes Bank, says finance minister

Bhubaneswar, Mar 12: The state government today washed its hands off by saying that it had no role in keeping deposits of Shri Jagannath Temple in the crisis-ridden Yes Bank. The funds of Shri Jagannath Temple are managed by the temple management committee and the government does not intervene in this matter, said finance minister Niranjan Pujari in the state Assembly while replying to the adjournment motion debate in the House on the issue. The proposals to this effect were invited from scheduled commercial banks through quotations on March 12, 2019. Twelve scheduled commercial banks had submitted their proposals and Yes Bank had offered highest interest rate (8.61 percent per annum). Temple funds were kept in the Yes Bank for one year in view of its highest interest offer, said the minister. The temple management committee on March 7 this year has written to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regional director to effect transfer of funds from the Yes Bank to other nationalised bank. Similarly, the minister himself has requested the union finance minister for fund transfer to other bank. His letter had been forwarded to the RBI governor and union finance secretary, Pujari informed the House. On the other hand, opposition chief whip Mohan Majhi blamed the state government for this crisis. He alleged that two persons had gone to Europe on the commission money of Yes Bank. The government should agree to the CBI probe into the matter, he said.