Badrinath: Devotees visiting shrines under the Badri-Kedar Temple Committee (BKTC) donate roughly Rs 80–85 crore each year, a sum that surpasses the annual budgets of several Uttarakhand government departments, BKTC officials said.
The figures have drawn fresh attention after allegations of theft involving offerings at Shri Badrinath Dham surfaced recently, ANI reported.
BKTC sources said more than 45 temples managed by the committee together collect about Rs 80–85 crore in offerings annually. The exact total fluctuates year to year, but the committee’s average annual intake is close to Rs 80 crore, officials added, underscoring the figure’s significance given that both Shri Badrinath Dham and Kedarnath Temple are accessible to pilgrims only for a limited number of months each year.
A BKTC official said devotees make offerings according to their faith and financial capacity.
“Most donations are made in cash, but devotees also offer gold, silver, precious metals, gemstones and other valuables as a mark of their devotion,” the official said.
To put the amount in perspective, allocations in the Uttarakhand Budget for 2026–27 show that some state departments receive far less. The Public Service Commission’s annual allocation is Rs 96 crore, the Excise Department’s budget is Rs 55 crore, and Raj Bhavan gets Rs 18 crore for the year — figures that highlight how the committee’s collections compare with routine government spending.
The disclosure comes as social media has been abuzz with claims of misappropriation of donations at the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Dham.
BKTC Chairman Hemant Dwivedi said the committee has set up an inquiry panel to look into the accusations and promised strict measures against anyone found responsible.
In a self-made video posted on Saturday, Dwivedi said the Temple Committee had taken the allegations circulating on social media seriously and initiated action within 24 hours.
“Regarding the news and allegations circulating on social media concerning the alleged misappropriation of donations and offerings at the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Dham, I wish to state that the Temple Committee has taken this matter very seriously. Notices — specifically show-cause notices — have already been issued by our Chief Executive Officer to all employees and officials involved in the counting process,” he said.
Dwivedi added that an inquiry committee had been constituted immediately and that its findings would be made public.
