Date:05/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/05/stories/2008120554070400.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Temple administration revamped

Special Correspondent

Devaswom Minister G. Sudhakaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister for Cooperation and Devaswoms G. Sudhakaran said here on Thursday that the government had brought reforms to temple administration in Malabar with the Assembly passing the Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill.

The Bill, which provided for constitution of the Malabar Devaswom Board, specified representation of women and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Board. Apart from specification of qualifications for the members, the legislation mandated exclusion of people known for their moral turpitude and links with liquor business from the Board. The Minister said that the government was awaiting Central clearance for a legislation to replace the Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Act and amend the Travancore Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act.

However, the Centre was delaying clearance. The government would move the courts against the deputy secretary who was deliberately delaying it. It would also consult legal experts for bringing a legislation without clearance from the Centre. The Centre’s clearance was sought as the covenants regarding takeover of the temples had to be amended. Mr. Sudhakaran said the revenues at the Sabarimala temple had gone up in the past two years.

This year, it was set to cross Rs.100 crore. So far, the collections had been Rs.28.67 crore against Rs.19.91 crore during the corresponding period last year.