Hamirpur (HP), Feb 12 (PTI) A trust managing the Baba Balaknath Temple Deotsidh in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district has approved a budget of Rs 40.60 crore for its functioning this year.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the trust held at Deotsidh on Tuesday, officials said The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Sub Divisional Magistrate, Barsar, Rajendra Gautam, who is also the chairman of the trust.

The temple trust earned an income of over Rs 35 crore in 2024 while an expenditure of over Rs 27 crore was incurred. More than half of its budget is being spent on employees, pensioners and employee welfare fund of the temple trust and educational institutions run by it, officials said.

Apart from this, a budget of Rs 1 crore has been kept for the state government's ambitious scheme Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashraya Yojana, the officials added.

Funds were also allocated for changing of tiles in the temple courtyard, security arrangements, running of community kitchen, purchase of CCTVs for the temple and cleaning arrangements and hand pumps.

Baba Balaknath is the incarnation of Lord Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva. Hundreds of pilgrims from India and abroad visit the temple throughout the year. PTI COR BPL DV DV

Budget approval by temple trust allocates funds for staff welfare, maintenance, security, and state social-welfare participation. The managing trust approved an annual budget allocating major recurring expenditure to employee salaries, pensions and an employee welfare fund, funding for temple-run educational institutions, and specific appropriations for courtyard repairs, security, surveillance, sanitation, water supply and a community kitchen; the budget also earmarks funding to participate in a state social-welfare scheme and was adopted under the chairmanship of the trust's administrative chair.