Rs 2.86 Cr Got From Auction of 10,300 Quintal Arpan Rice Deposited In Srimandir Fund

Puri: The auction of around 10,300 quintals of arpan rice fetched Rs 2.86 crore. The amount was deposited in the Puri Srimandir fund.

According to Puri District Collector and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Deputy Chief Administrator Siddharth Shankar Swain informed that one Suresh Kumar Mohanty of Nimapada Ma Tardhana Rice Mill bought the entire stock of arpan rice that was auctioned.

During the previous BJD government in the state, a total of 14,017.23 quintals of rice collected as Arpan Rice was brought to Puri. Of this, 4610.44 quintals were stored in Srigundicha Temple, 2618.07 quintals in Akshayapatra Foundation and 6788.72 quintals in Puri godown of the Civil Supplies Department.

Only 3,856.84 quintals of Arpan Rice from Srigundicha temple was used to prepare Mahaprasad for free distribution among devotees visiting Puri Jagannath Temple.

As the condition of the rice was deteriorating, it was declared unfit for use as Mahaprasad, and hence it was auctioned.