The Shirdi Saibaba Temple, one of the most prominent religious destinations in India, is facing an unusual problem. Banks are finding it hard to accommodate the lakhs of rupees donated in the form of coins. According to a report by the Times of India, the state-owned banks are struggling with a space crunch, resulting in their inability to accept coins worth lakhs of rupees.
The Trust Struggles with Coin Deposits
The Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust (SSST) has 13 branches across different state-owned banks. Out of these, one branch is in Nashik, and the remaining 12 are in Shirdi. Currently, the banks together hold almost Rs 11 crore of the SSST’s money in the form of coins.
As per the Times of India report, four of the state-owned banks in Shirdi have stopped accepting coins. The CEO of the SSST, Rahul Jadhav, stated that these banks have cited space issues as the reason for this action. “Officials of these four banks said they have no space to keep the coins they get every day. This is a big problem for the trust,” he said.
Seeking Intervention from the RBI
As per the report, the SSST is now planning to write directly to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for help. They are also exploring the possibility of opening accounts with banks in other parts of the Ahmednagar district. “We will open accounts of the trust in such banks, so that coins can be deposited there,” Jadhav said.
Monthly Collection of the Trust
The trust receives donations in the form of coins ranging from 50 paise to Rs 10. The monthly collection in coins amounts to a whopping Rs 28 lakh. The banks with SSST accounts send their personnel to the temple every month by rotation to collect deposits and donations.
The History of the Problem
The issue of a lack of space due to the high volume of coins is not new to the temple authorities. In 2019, the banks had raised concerns over the storage of bags of coins, and the temple had offered rooms within the temple premises as a solution. However, the banks’ regulations did not permit this, and the temple authorities had to look for other alternatives.
Seeking Help from the State Government
Apart from seeking help from the RBI, the SSST is also looking for assistance from the state government. The trust has a significant influence in the state, and it hopes to use its influence to garner support. The trust is confident that the state government will extend a helping hand.
The Shirdi Saibaba Temple is a significant religious destination, attracting lakhs of devotees every year. The issue of coin storage has been a persistent problem, and it is heartening to see that the temple authorities are exploring all possible solutions. Hopefully, with the intervention of the RBI and the state government, the trust will be able to find a viable solution soon.
Source: FreePressJournal
