Uttarakhand govt to rename 86-year-old British era BKTC

The Uttarakhand government is planning to rename the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) to overcome technical hindrances in the working of its affiliated committees. Preparations are underway to change the name of the 86-year-old British-era committee amidst an ongoing probe into the theft of donations at Badrinath Temple.

BKTC Chairman Hemant Dwivedi informed that a proposal regarding renaming the committee was unanimously passed in its board meeting, but the final decision rests with the state government. Decision to rename BKTC aims at streamlining and smoothing the working of the other temples affiliated to the committee. It’s notable that other temples affiliated to BKTC have their respective management boards and committees to govern and take care of the collected donations. However, according to BKTC members, coordination with other temple managements was difficult because the committee felt a compelling need to establish uniformity in governing all temples affiliated with the BKTC.

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The BKTC owes its origin to a British-era Act enacted in 1939. The law was created by the British mainly due to widespread complaints of misconduct with devotees by the Badrinath temple priests and purohits. BKTC temples are still managed according to the British era Act. According to Dwivedi present provisions in the BKTC Act are causing difficulties in the committee’s day-to-day operations.

Besides daily working problems, footfalls in Kedarnath and Badrinath Shrines and their affiliated temples in Char Dham pilgrimage are setting records every year. In view of this, the BKTC board passed a proposal to rename the committee as “Badri-Kedar Management Board.” Following consensus from the members, the proposal was granted assent and sent to the government for final approval. If cleared by the state government, the board will emerge as the controlling authority for all management committees of the BKTC temples.
Dwivedi said that renaming the BKTC as “Badri-Kedar Management Board” will enhance its image and operations will still be conducted in accordance with the original Act.
Apart from proposal for renaming of the committee another proposal was also sent to the government to fix board’s tenure from present three to five years and also increase numbership from present 10 in the BKTC to 15.

BKTC Chairman Hemant Dwivedi stated, “Proposals were passed after consensus from all board members in March, but the final decision rests with the state government. As suggested by the committee board members existing provisions in the old Act have become redundant today causing difficulties in temple management.”