Basnayake Nilame of Ruhuhu Kataragama Maha Devale Dishan Gunasekara claims to have raised the Devale’s income by eight-fold since he took office.
Earnings that stood at Rs. 50 million exceed Rs. 400 million today, deshaya.lk quoted him as saying.
The income in the first half of this year alone was Rs. 214 million, said Basnayake.
He attributed the increase to devotees now making their cash and other offerings directly to tills and to the Devale office.
That is after they came to know about its custodians making personal use of these offerings, said the Basnayake Nilame.
He also said a 500-bed ward built by the Devale at Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama will be opened on 23 July.
Another ward complex is planned at a cost of Rs. 1,000 million with the Navy doing the construction work, he added.
