The government on Tuesday issued a clarification rejecting claims that the Centre is planning to bring temple gold holdings under any proposed gold bond or monetisation scheme.
The clarification by the finance ministry came after several media reports and social media posts suggested that gold reserves held by temple trusts and religious institutions across the country could be brought into a government-backed scheme. According to the ministry, these claims are incorrect and have no factual basis.
In an official statement, the finance ministry said no proposal has been approved to issue gold bonds to temples in exchange for gold held by religious bodies.
The ministry also addressed another claim circulating online regarding gold used in temple structures. It denied reports suggesting that gold plates placed on temple towers, doors or other parts of temples would be classified as part of the country’s strategic gold reserves.
The Ministry of Finance, in a post on X said, “Speculation and rumours suggesting that the Government is planning to introduce monetisation scheme for Gold held by temple trusts, or any religious institution, across the country are completely false, misleading and without any basis.”
It further said, “Claims suggesting that gold plates on temple towers, doors, or other temple structures will be considered as ‘Strategic Gold Reserves of India’ are false, misleading, and entirely baseless.”
Government urges public not to share unverified claims
The government urged people not to circulate unverified information related to policy matters, saying such rumours can create unnecessary confusion among the public.
It also stated that any official decision related to government schemes or policy changes would be communicated only through authorised channels, including official press releases and government websites.
