Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Friday launched ‘Digital Hundi’ for making online donation to Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Majhi launched the online donation facility at the Lok Seva Bhawan (state secretariat) in Bhubaneswar and said the ‘Digital Hundi’ will provide devotees with a convenient way to make donations to Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, even sitting at their homes in the country and abroad.
“I am very happy to make this (digital hundi) announcement. Lord Jagannath devotees all over the world were facing difficulties in in giving donations to the Puri temple even if they wanted to. They were facing difficulty to make a donation through online payment,” Majhi said.
Through the new digital platform, the chief minister said devotees can easily make their donations using QR codes. “This QR code will be displayed on the website of the temple. For this, all interested banks can set up their own QR code stations outside the temple premises in coordination with the Shri Jagannath Temple administration,” he said.
Apart from the temple, banks can also display this QR code in popular places in Puri town in a secure manner, such as at ATM counters. Apart from this, the banks can also display the QR codes at their bank branch.
“The main purpose of this digital hundi is not to collect more donations, its main objective is to fulfil the devotion of devotees towards the Lord. For example, on the day of Rath Yatra, many devotees across the country who do not come to Puri, but want to make donations. They can use this platform to make offerings,” the chief minister said.
He said that Digital India hopes that Lord Jagannath devotees also will take advantage of this system.
Official sources said that the digital platform has incorporated all necessary security features while maintaining the sanctity of the donation process.
The Jagannath Temple received a total of Rs 113.02 crore as donations in the last three financial years (2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24).
PTI