TN Govt melts 1,000 kg of temple gold and earns Rs 17.81 CR annual interest

Devotees provided over 1,000 kilograms of gold to 21 temples in Tamil Nadu, but the unused lies were melted and converted into a 24-carat bar and stored in a bank. The government said on Thursday that the investment in the gold bar has brought its annual profit of Rs 1,781 crore. The gold items offered to the temple but not used for the deities are converted into 24 carat bars by melting them in the Mumbai government mint and investing in the National Bank of India under the gold investment scheme.

A policy note to the Indian Religion and Charity Donations Department, which holds the portfolio, said: “The benefits generated by the investment are used to develop the temples in question.”

Three committees led by retired judges constitute three districts of the state to oversee the implementation of the plan.
Detailed details of the gold bar investment as of March 31, 2025, the note said: “The pure gold obtained from 10,74,123.488 from 21 temples received Rs 1,781.225 crore as interest earned annually determined based on the value of the gold at the time of investment.”

In the shrine, Arulmigu Mariamman Temple in Samayapuram, Tiruchirappalli District contributed up to 4,24,266.491 grams (about 424.26 kg) of gold in the investment plan.

It has been allowed to melt “unused and unavailable” silver items in temples controlled by the Human Resources Department, a private silver smelting company approved by the government in the temple premises, in front of a regional committee led by three judges. “So, steps are currently being taken to melt unused silver items in the temple,” it said.