The Hindu : Endowments breather for small temples

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 25, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Endowments breather for small temples

By Our Special Correspondent

Hyderabad Feb. 24. The Endowments Minister, D. Sivarama Raju, today announced in the Assembly the Government's decision to take small temples out of the purview of the department and free them from "administration charges'' and contribution towards the Common Good Fund.

Replying to a plea made by several members to protect these temples and the archakas in general during question hour, the Minister said the upper income limit of small temples was being raised to Rs. 25,000 per year from the present Rs. 5,000. There were 27,788 temples now coming under the present category figuring in the 6 (C) type of temples as per the Endowments Act of 1987.

Mr. Raju admitted that the affairs of temples which should have been "holy'' had become "unholy'' due to various factors, including department officials. He ended his reply with a resolve to end irregularities and was applauded by members like D. Nagender of the Congress with "Govinda...Govinda'' shouts causing chuckles all around.

File received: The Minister later received a missing file obtained by a Telugu daily dealing with a court case relating to the Tenancy Act amendments being fought regarding temple lands, drove to the commissionerate and pulled up the officials for "losing'' the file. It was suspected that the file was stolen by some elements with the connivance of officials in the department.

New 400 KV stations: Seven new 400 KV sub-stations are being constructed at Warangal, Dichpalli, Mahabubnagar, Gajwel, Chittoor, Nellore and Vemagiri, which will help overcome the low-voltage problem.

Disclosing this to G. Jaipal Yadav, the Energy Minister, K. Subbarayudu, said, the sub-stations, taken up under the first phase of the DFID scheme, at a cost of Rs. 285 crores in Khammam, Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts, however, would be completed three months ahead of deadline next month in view of the difficulties faced by farmers.

All-party meeting: Opposition members such as N. Indrasena Reddy, BJP, N. Narsimhaiah, CPI (M), extracted an assurance from the Labour Minister, P. Babu Mohan, to hold an all-party meeting with floor leaders and the MLA concerned on the fifth revision of wages for beedi workers.

For finalising the quantum of benefit, tripartite meetings had already been held with trade unions, beedi manufacturers and the Tobacco Merchants' Association. The revision was due from March 31, 2004, he said. Members, including Mr. Nagender, threatened, though in a lighter vein, that they would take up the matter with Kota Srinivasa Rao, (who has teamed up with Mr. Babu Mohan in several films), if he did not hold an all-party meeting.

No more homoeo colleges: The Government has no plans to open homoeo colleges in addition to the existing four, but if a private party comes forward, it would allow the same under the present policy.

Giving this information, the Health Minister, K. Sivaprasada Rao, told K. Koteswara Rao, TDP, that one should not complain about lack of facilities in existing colleges and homoeo hospitals as plans were afoot to provide them with Rs. 12.5 crores.

No Irregularity: The Municipal Administration Minister, B. V. Mohan Reddy, denied there was any irregular promotions in the Public Health Department as alleged by Mr. Nagender who said, 731 promotions were effected recently by the authorities for pecuniary benefit. The Minister said promotions of only assistant engineers were above board as the seniority list was available for them and the elevations covering other categories, if any, were on ad hoc basis. All such promotions were routed through the Departmental Promotion Committee.

School buildings: Members cutting across party lines complained that schools run by muncipalities lacked basic amenities with 82 per cent of them devoid of toilets and 32 per cent sans lady teachers.

Replying to this issue raised through another question, the Minister said construction of 500 school buildings, including classrooms, were being taken up this year at a cost of Rs. 7 crores.

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