The Jagannath temple administration would conduct a fresh census of the temple servitor families so that various projects meant for the development of servitor community would be effective. This was decided in a temple managing committee meeting.
The Nabakrushna Chaudhuri Centre for Development Studies would do the survey on the basis of 2005 servitor population. It has been asked to complete the census before May this year. The temple and the state government have mooted a number of projects like insurance, old age pension and financial assistance to poor servitors for their socio-economic development. Arabind Padhi, temple chief administrator said the census would help the schemes in a better way.
The temple managing committee has also approved the ‘Anubhav Yatra’ scheme. Servitors can now visit a number of religious places and temples across the country under the scheme. Since so many years the servitors tours were facilitated to help them get first hand experience.
This year, four groups consisting of ten servitors in each group would visit Amarnath, Ujjain, Vaishno Devi and Somnath temples. According to Arabind Padhi, chief administrator of the temple, each group would have an officer and other support staff. They would study observance of rituals and pooja system and pilgrim treatment procedures besides upkeep of the health and hygiene in those famous shrines. The Jagannath temple administration has already spoken to officials of those shrines to facilitate the travel.
* The Nabakrushna Chaudhuri Centre for Development Studies would do the survey on the basis of 2005 servitor population
* The temple and the state government have mooted a number of projects like insurance, old age pension and financial assistance to poor servitors for their socio-economic development
