India is a country of temples in the world, the number of temples here is in millions. But, do you know which is the richest temple of the country? Actually, there is a political debate these days about the earnings of temples and paying tax on it.
The Congress has alleged that the BJP government is sending notice of GST arrears to temples. On the other hand, the BJP has accused the Congress of distorting the facts in this matter.
Where is it located
Moneycontrol, after an analysis in its report, found that India’s richest temple trust Tirupati Tirumala is Devasthanam (TTS), which will pay less than 1.5 percent of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on its annual income of Rs 4,774 crore in FY 2025. In November 2024, a notice was sent to Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, one of the country’s wealthiest temples. Media reports suggest that the demand for a 7 -year period was only Rs 1.57 crore (Worth Crores Rupees), while the temple has earned Rs 700 crore in 2014 alone.
Crores of crores, earning from interest
The Vaishno Devi temple located in Katra, Jammu earned Rs 683 crore in FY 24, out of which 255 crores came from offering, which is tax-free and Rs 133.3 crore came from interest. In the case of TTD, more than one third of the earnings of Rs 4,800 crore came from the hundi collection. In this case, the tax liability has been about 130 crores in the financial year 21 to five years under GST. Although the details of temples are not available in this case, the income of two largest temple trusts in India has doubled in the last seven years.
Year after year, the income of temples increased
- The budget of Tirupati Trust in FY 2017 was Rs 2,678 crore, which according to its website increased to Rs 5,145 crore in FY 2025.
- The income of Vaishno Devi Trust has increased from Rs 380 crore in FY 2017 to Rs 683 crore in FY 2024.
GST payment amount - According to the information given in Parliament, Tirupati Temple paid GST of Rs 14.7 crore in FY 2017, Rs 15.58 crore in FY 2022, Rs 32.15 crore in FY 2023 and Rs 32.95 crore in FY 2024.
Religious ceremonies and prasad are ‘tax free’
- Prasad and religious ceremonies are free from GST collection. In the case of TTD and Vaishno Devi, this income was more than one third.
- In FY 24, Vaishno Devi Temple Trust earned 37 percent of its income with donations. At the same time, TTD is expected to earn around Rs 4,800 crore in FY 25.
- If the room fee is more than Rs 1,000 and if the community hall or open area fee is more than Rs 10,000, then GST is imposed on the fare of the premises.
- GST is not available even if the monthly fare is less than Rs 10,000 for the shops and other places hired for business.
- GST is applicable to souvenir shops and other commercial undertakings operated by the trust. The Vaishno Devi Trust runs a helicopter service and souvenir shops.
- The trust earned Rs 19 percent from sale in FY 24 or Rs 129.6 crore and Rs 84 crore or 12 percent from rental income.