Bengaluru: It’s a big Diwali gift to mutts, temples and trusts of Karnataka as the state government has approved the release of Rs 88.75 crore in financial assistance.

Endowment Minister Kota Srinivas Pujari said that aid to the mutts was announced in the budget earlier but was withheld due to financial constraints.

Recently, the Endowment Department had again sent a proposal to the chief minister. Now, a few more religious institutions have been added.

The minister said that based on the request from the institutions, the government had decided to provide them with aid and the same was included in the budget.

"It has come as a Deepavali gift and all religious institutions are happy. I congratulate the CM on behalf of all the mutts and temples," Kota Srinivas said.

While Rs 1 crore each will be released to 39 mutts, as announced in the 2019-20 budget, Rs 49.75 crore will be released to 143 mutts, trusts and temples across the state. This comes as a Deepavali gift to the religious institutions, which had sought aid from the government.

Religious institutions which received Rs 1 crore each include, Buddha Basava Ambedkar Pratishthana, Chitradurga; Jagadguru Chaluvadi Peeta Sira, Tumakuru; Siddarameshwaraswamy Trust, Shivamogga; Murugha Mutt, Dharwad; Siddaganga Mutt, Tumakuru and Pushpagiri Mahasamsthana Mutt, Bengaluru.