Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust hopes for FCRA nod in a month, TCS putting in place system for instant receipts for foreign donations

The temple complex in Ayodhya is expected to be in an area of 110 acres, much larger than the original area of around 67 acres, with the Trust acquiring more land in the vicinity of the existing complex.

The Ram Temple Trust is hoping for its FCRA clearance to come through in a month, enabling it to accept foreign donations for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The permission for FCRA clearance was applied only a few months ago, a source in the Temple Trust said.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been given the job to create an online system by which receipts will be instantly generated for such foreign donations. “The Trust took its time to apply for FCRA clearance as issuance of donation receipts instantly is an issue which we wanted to sort out. The Trust has already got in excess of Rs 3000 crore from domestic donations so far but there are numerous people abroad who have expressed their desire to contribute funds to the construction of the Ram Temple. TCS is now putting in place a system,” the Trust source said. The FCRA clearance could come from the Union Home Ministry in a month.

The source said accounting of funds collected so far was also a major task and TCS had also been given the job for the same by drawing up an accounting software. TCS is also in charge of making pilgrim coupons at the temple site when the new temple opens for devotees by the end of 2023. A Trust member in Ayodhya told News18 that NRIs from many countries have been calling up on the phone numbers of the Trust and writing e-mails to them asking when donations from abroad will be allowed. “We may get a big amount of donations from abroad as well,” he said.

The Temple complex construction cost is around Rs 1,000 crore and donations collected could ultimately be four times that amount.