Projects for commercial complexes worth ₹246 crore to be built using temple funds cancelled !

• Commendable decision by the government of C. Joseph Vijay in Tamil Nadu
• Government announces that temple funds will be spent on religious activities !

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) – The government led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has cancelled 46 projects that were to be undertaken using temple funds. These projects had been approved during the tenure of the previous Stalin government. The government stated that the movable and immovable assets of temples will be used exclusively for religious and other sacred activities connected with temples.

Temple Funds for Temples, Not Malls!

Joseph Vijay led Tamil Nadu’s government has cancelled ₹246 crore worth of commercial complex projects that were to be built using temple funds and has announced that temple money will instead be used for religious activities.

A welcome… pic.twitter.com/AIc5EHhv4X

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) June 21, 2026

According to the government order, the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government had approved the construction of 29 marriage halls and 17 commercial complexes using temple funds. An estimated ₹246 crore was to be spent on these projects; however, as work had not yet commenced, the approvals have now been revoked, considering the financial condition of the temples.

For several years, income generated by temples administered under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department has been used for constructing marriage halls, commercial complexes and educational institutions. However, many devout Hindu organisations had opposed this practice. They argued that temple revenue should be spent only on temple maintenance, worship, rituals and religious activities.