Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra belongs to the 1988 batch of IAS cadre. An MSc (Tech) with MBA (Australia), he possesses a brilliant academic record and so is imbued with a rare vision and vitality in lending a transforming touch to the otherwise film of familiarity. During his tenure as Collector Puri and as RDC (Central), he much earlier had an additional advantage to feel the pulses of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), of which he is now the Chief Administrator. He has handled many important assignments as Principal Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Rural Development Department and Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Departments. He carved a niche in managing the aftermaths of the Phylin imbroglio as the steward of the Odisha State Distaster Management Authority then. Currently, he is the Principal Secretary of the Department of School and Mass Education while being entrusted with the additional charge as the SJTA Chief Administrator. The Government in its collective wisdom has placed him here after the controversial issue of the loss of the keys of the Ratna Bhandar that triggered a massive outrage among devotees. Himself an ardent devotee of the Lord, he remains every inch loyal to His services and considers himself as a true Sevak to the Lord his position as a senior bureaucrat notwithstanding. This visionary head honcho is expected to bring phenomenal reforms not only in the temple administration but in catapulting the corpus fund of the temple to an approximately whopping Rs 3,000 crores in a few years with the support of one and all. In an interview to The Pioneer, Mohapatra spoke to Sugyan Choudhury.
What is your considered opinion on the introduction of ticket system in the temple?
We had previously a Parmanik Darshan, in which entry till the Garbha Gruha or sanctum sanctorum was allowed. Then, we had a ticketed system where visitors were allowed till the Bhitara Katha, from where one could have a full view of the Lord. But that has been stopped by now. We have the ticketed system now for the people who don’t want to stand in a queue. In this system, not just the VIPs are allowed but then people those who don’t want to wait for too long including some privileged persons can opt for the same. It is nothing new; we have been doing it in the Parmanik Darshan, but now that Parmanik Darshan has been stopped by court order, we have introduced the ticketed system which is nothing but a change in its nomenclature. The temple also needs revenue; and whatever proceeds we get, we have to utilise it for the benefit of the pilgrims, Sevaks and to raise the corpus fund as we have compelling requirements of fund in many ways. The ticketed Darshan continues only for two to three times a day, each period for 20 minutes around, in which 200 to 300 people can have the Darshan. Thereafter, the normal Darshan continues uninterrupted.
What are the reforms you have initiated in the daily rituals of the Lord?
The Lord’s rituals should be done in time. This is something sacrosanct to the temple and this has to be done by the Sevaks assigned for the purpose. We have now introduced the reform in a sense that we are trying to inculcate a sense of responsibility among the Sevaks. I have ordered that 15 minutes’ delay by a Sevak in performing his Neeti shall entail cut in his daily ritual fee and delay for one hour by a Sevak shall invites total forfeiture of his daily fee. This is intended for making them more disciplined. We are also developing an App so that a Sevak will be administered with a system-driven approach that his duty is to commence at such and such time. This is how everything is getting disciplined now and we are able to complete Paudha everyday by midnight only.
What are the steps you are going to take to prevent manhandling and misdemeanour to devotees?
We have been very strict about it. Even the amicus curiae learned Gopal Subramanium, who recently resigned from his post, took up this matter for discussion with the Sevaks during his last visit. I am of the firm opinion that there is zero tolerance to such lapses if it is perpetrated by any Sevak. Recently, there was a complaint about a lady being misbehaved in the Ananda Bazar. We not only suspended the Suar Sevak but also the Bujhia who carried the Mahaprasad along with two to three persons involved in the issue. We have installed additional CCTVs and each and every Sevak including all others are under the constant surveillance of the system. Once an offender is caught, he is punished. There is a policy of reward for good services and punishment for the wrongdoing. Whoever is found in indulging in misbehaving with pilgrims or found extracting or extolling money from pilgrims either through covert or overt means, he will be prosecuted as per the law. Any Sevak repeating such misdemeanour for a second time will be forbidden entry into the temple.
What about a revised rate chart of the Abadha conducive to the pilgrims?
Recently, a rate was submitted by the Niyoga prepared by them. We did not simply accept it. Items of the Mahaprasad were prepared by the temple administration; and very soon we are going to publish a revised rate chart with price tag on it including specifications of the size of each container so that the pilgrims will not feel cheated and along with the credibility of the Suar Mahaniyoga shall be established. Now, reforms in the temple have become a continuous process. Regarding the judgement of the apex court, I must say that out of twelve points of orders of the court, we have almost implemented nine and are implementing nine points barring the exceptions of the three other cardinal points under considerations of the court. They are regarding the hereditary rights of the Sevaks, abolition of Annadan Atika and other collections by the priests inside the temple and, finally, amendment of the Shree Jagannath Temple Act. We are carrying on massive reforms inside the temple barring the above three.
What are the plans to augment the Lord’s revenue?
You must know that Lord Jagannath is the biggest landlord in the country having more than 70,000 acres of land in the State besides the lands outside. Neither the Lord is enjoying anything out of this land nor are the people paying anything to the Lord in this regard. More than 50% of the land stands unrecorded. I have asked the concerned district Collectors and Tehsildars to record it in the name of the Lord. On September 27, we have resolved in the committee to send a proposal to the government to sell these lands and to deposit the money in the corpus fund. You will be glad to know that in Khordha and Jatni area we are expecting above Rs 2,000 crore by sale of the Lord’s land so that the Lord may enjoy it. We will go for the same once the government approves it. Secondly, we have decided to deposit the Lord’s gold lying idle at the rate of 1.5% interest; and I have discussed the entire matter with the SBI. This will ensure huge income to the Lord’s exchequer. Besides, we have discussed with the ITC company which will sell its Agaravati countrywide with the brand of Lord Jagannath Temple along with its chariot and the company will contribute one rupee to the temple corpus fund for each packet that will generate huge resources. We have banned online selling of Mahaprasad by private and fictitious people and this will be done by the temple administration. We have welcomed the presentation of wedding cards to the
Lord by depositing fees to the temple administration and not by any private individual or organisation. During the last Make in Odisha Conclave, many industrialists agreed to part with little portions of their incomes for the services of the Lord and for the pilgrims. A multistoried car parking is also coming out at Puri; and you will not find cars being parked helter-skelter any longer. We have restructured our office and have installed an E-office there in. I have also ensured that by February-end the budget will be available online and people will have full knowledge about the income and the expenditure of the temple. The Lord will certainly bless the people of Odisha and the people of the world and no stones shall be left unturned for a holistic development of the secular cult of Lord Jagannath, both at the micro and macro levels.
