Day 1: Cashless donation move falls flat

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, March 28

The nine-day annual Navratra fair began with religious fervour at the Mata Mansa Devi shrine here today. While the Administration’s bid to go cashless seems to have fallen flat at the Mata Mansa Devi temple as a meagre sum of Rs 372 was received via Paytm mobile wallet. A sum of Rs 14.23 lakh was received in cash donations on the first day as not many devotees were seen using their phones for donations. Besides, two gold and 31 silver ornaments were donated.

According to the Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board authorities, 95,000 people visited the temple today. Last time, 45,000 people had visited the temple on the first Navratra. Over 15,000 people visited the Kali Mata temple in Kalka and donated Rs 52,000.

The administration had set up cashless payment option via Paytm at all counters this time. When asked about using Paytm for donation, Meenal, a resident of Chandigarh said, “It actually feels odd to be paying for donation through your phone; it is better to keep technology away from faith.”

The administration claims to have stopped issuing VIP passes since 2015, but there is a special ‘VIP gate’ through which not only ministers and officers go, but others too. Anyone with a good reference and a phone call is allowed to go through this gate which is not accessible to the general public.

While Kanwar Pal, Speaker, Haryana Vidhan Sabha, visited the temple in the morning, Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore came in the evening. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will visit the temple on Thursday and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki will be at the temple on the last Navratra on April 5.