Temple Treasures Turned into Golden Gains in Tamil Nadu

Over 1,000 kg of gold, initially offered to Tamil Nadu temples by devotees and lying unused, has been melted into 24-carat bars. Deposited in banks, these bars now earn an annual interest of Rs 17.81 crore. The interest generated is allocated for temple development, as per government policy.

In Tamil Nadu, over 1,000 kg of gold offered to temples by devotees but left unused has been transformed into 24-carat bars, according to government reports on Thursday. These bars, deposited in banks, yield an annual interest of Rs 17.81 crore.

The gold articles, unused for temple deities, were melted at the government mint in Mumbai and invested under the State Bank of India's Gold Investment Scheme. Interest generated from this investment supports temple development, as outlined in a policy note by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, tabled in the Assembly by Minister P K Sekar Babu.

Three committees, led by retired justices, have been formed for overseeing the scheme's implementation across different regions. As of March 31, 2025, the note highlighted that temples contributed significant portions of gold, including the Arulmigu Mariamman Temple, which provided 424.26 kg. Efforts are also underway to melt unused silver items under government supervision.

(With inputs from agencies.)