Maharashtra Govt Decides To Take Over Shaneshwar Temple At Shani Shingnapur; Apex Committees Appointed For Nashik Kumbh Mela
Mumbai: The Maharashtra state government has decided to take control of the famous Shaneshwara Temple located at Shani Shingnapur, which has recently been mired in various controversies.
### About the Shaneshwar Temple
The Shaneshwar Temple is a historic and revered temple in the Ahilyanagar district that attracts thousands of devotees from across the nation. The state government has decided to implement the Shree Shaneshwar Temple Trust Management Act, 2018, by appointing the district collector as its administrator. An official order to this effect was issued on Monday.
Interestingly, although the Temple Trust Management Act was passed by the state legislature in 2018 and published in the state gazette on August 13, 2018, it was never notified for implementation until now. The current BJP-led state government has announced that the Act will come into effect starting September 22, 2025.
Previously, the temple trust, which comprised local members, had been managing the day-to-day affairs of the temple. However, the trust has faced heavy criticism amid allegations of mismanagement, a fake app, financial irregularities, corruption, controversial appointments of employees, disputes over the temple podium, and several law and order issues.
The situation escalated tragically when a deputy executive officer of the trust died by suicide. To restore public trust and ensure discipline, transparency, and accountability in managing the temple, the implementation of the 2018 legislation has become imperative, according to the state’s law and judiciary department.
Until a full-fledged trust management committee is appointed, the district collector of Ahilyanagar will serve as the administrator of the temple.
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### Nashik Kumbh Mela: New Committees Appointed
In another significant development, the Maharashtra government has appointed two apex committees to oversee preparations for the upcoming Nashik Kumbh Mela.
The first committee, headed by the Chief Minister, will approve the overall plan and supervise its implementation. This 40-member committee includes deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, 12 state ministers, MPs and MLAs from Nashik district, the chief secretary, 12 secretaries of various state departments, and senior officials from Railways, Police, and the municipal bodies of Nashik and Trimbakeshwar.
Meanwhile, an executive committee, led by the state chief secretary, will scrutinize the plan in detail and review various developmental works. This 26-member body consists of officials from different state departments, local Nashik authorities, and the police.
Just last week, the state government had also announced a separate ministerial committee headed by Girish Mahajan to supervise and implement the Nashik Kumbh Mela plan.
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