Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government has created a post of Finance Officer in Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) and will soon appoint an officer to the post for financial transparency.
An order issued on behalf of Harichandra Semwal, Secretary, Department of Culture, Religion, Pilgrimage Management and Religious Fair on Monday states that the appointment to the post of Finance Officer will be made by the government.
The finance controller or finance officer was not yet appointed in BKTC. A few months ago, BKTC Chairman Ajendra Ajay had written a letter to the government requesting the posting of a financial controller in view of financial transparency. On which the government temporarily posted the Finance Controller. But it was suggested to create the post of Finance Officer in order to avoid any technical hindrance in future.
On this suggestion, a resolution was passed in the board meeting of BKTC and sent to the government for the creation of posts. Earlier, the Uttarakhand government gave the chief executive officer (CEO) of Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) the powers of Special Executive Magistrate for both the dhams during the yatra.
An order issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Radha Raturi stated that the Governor, using the powers conferred by Section-21 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, vested the power to run the administrative arrangements of Shri Badrinath and Shri Kedarnath Dham in the CEO of BKTC during the travel period.
"For this, Executive Magistrates are appointed, who will be called Special Executive Magistrates. The Executive Magistrate can exercise the powers conferred under the Code of Criminal Procedure within the prescribed limits of Shri Badrinath and Shri Kedarnath Dham," the order stated.
A letter was written to the government in this regard by BKTC President Ajendra Ajay in the past. In the letter, Ajendra had requested the CEO of BKTC to give the powers of Special Executive Magistrate in both the shrines during the Yatra period in view of the increasing number of devotees in Shri Badrinath and Shri Kedarnath shrines.
Giving the powers of Special Executive Magistrate to the CEO of BKTC will facilitate the operation of various arrangements in both the Dhams, the order stated.
The Chardham Yatra is scheduled to begin on April 22 with the opening of the Yamunotri and Gangotri temples. Doors of Kedarnath temple will open on April 25 and Badrinath on April 27. (ANI)
