Minister's nod now must for temples to get budget sanctions
This move comes in the wake of the existing practices whereby temple officials are getting budget approvals without bringing it to the notice of the government.
According to department officials, the decision has been taken as per rules prescribed in the Telangana Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act 1987.
Sources in the department said that recently it had come to the attention of Endowments Minister Konda Surekha that department officials were taking decisions without placing such proposals before the government. Hence, the minister has directed endowment officials to send the annual budgets of 6(A), 6(B) to the government for approval.
Temples in the state are classified under 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D categories. The 6A temples are further classified into Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Joint Commissioner cadres. There are three temples under 6A-JC cadre (Vemulawada, Bhadrachalam and Yadagirigutta) which boast of an annual income of Rs five crore and above. Under the 6A-DC cadre come 15 temples with an income of Rs three crore and above.
The 6A-AC cadre temples have an income limit of Rs one-two crore, whereas the income limit of 6B temples is between Rs two lakh and Rs 25 lakh. Small temples, whose annual income is between Rs 50,000 and Rs two lakh fall under the 6C category. Meanwhile, mutts are classified under 6D without any income criterion.
Sources informed that when public representatives ask the minister for budget allocations for temples in their constituencies, he/she is hard pressed for answers as they are done at the low administrative level and not under the scrutiny of the minister.
Official sources said that the minister has used the powers specified under Section 154 of the Telangana Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act-1987 to ensure proper management of temples and the process more transparent.
Now, all annual budget proposals of temples falling under Section 6(A) and 6(B) should be submitted to the government for approval before obtaining sanction.
A senior official said that these orders were in line with the intent of Sections 34 and 154 of the Act, which provide for budget approval and government oversight to ensure transparency and accountability in the administration of temples.
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