Hassan Minister holds meeting on temple premises to finalise expenses for Hasanamba festival
The Minister says expenditure should be kept to a minimum this year because the State was facing severe drought, and asked officers to be vigilant about the money spent on arrangements.
Excise Minister K.M. Shivalinge Gowda convened a meeting on the temple grounds of Hassan to finalize expenses for the upcoming Hasanamba festival. The meeting took place on Sunday, October 18, with district administration officers in attendance. Gowda expressed concerns over the festival's budget, citing a severe drought in the state and urging officers to remain vigilant regarding expenses.
He compared the festival's financial support to that provided for the Mysuru Dasara celebrations, noting that the entire expense of the Hasanamba festival was funded by devotees' contributions.
During the review, an officer proposed allocating around ₹25 lakh for a dog show, exhibition, and other related activities. Gowda deemed the event unnecessary and instructed the officer to discard the proposal. The Minister emphasized that the tender process would be conducted transparently, with the presence of devotees and the media.
He assured reporters that the district administration would publish the festival's accounts in a booklet after the event concludes. Shreyas Patel, the Hassan MP, Deputy Commissioner K.S. Lathakumari, Superintendent of Police Shubhanwita, Zilla Panchayat CEO Shubham Shukla, and Assistant Commissioner Jagadish Gangannavar, the temple's administrator, were among the attendees.
The Hasanamba festival is scheduled to commence on October 29, with the historic Hasanamba temple doors opening exclusively during this event. The festival concludes on November 11.
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