Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Hanjura today assured the Upper House that the state government is committed to safeguard and secure the shrines and temples in the state. He said the directions have been passed to district and divisional administrations to ensure the safety of all religious places. The Minister was responding to a calling attention notice by Girdari Lal Raina in this regard.The Minister informed the House that majority of the Hindu Shrines and temples are being administered and managed by the Mahants, Pujaris and their successors.The Minister also said that there is no official mechanism in place for protection, regulation, and management of the Hindu shrines and temples in the Kashmir valley.“However, a few are under the administrative control of the Dharmarth Trust and Amarnath Shrine Board”, he added. He, however, informed that on the persistent demand of the Kashmiri migrant community, a Bill titled ‘The Kashmir Hindu Shrines and Religious Places (Management and Regulation) Bill, 2009, LA Bill of 2009,’ was prepared and introduced in the Legislative assembly on 09.03.2009.’ In addition, the Minister said that after threadbare deliberations, the Bill was referred to the Select Committee and subsequently to a Joint Select Committee of the State Legislature which remained under consideration of the house. “Due to lack of consensus on various provisions of the bill, the same could not become legislation. Consequently, with the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly, the said L.A Bill No.11 of 2009 also got lapsed,” he added.