The Endowments Department has conveyed its willingness to transfer the management rights of approximately 23,600 temples with below ₹5 lakh annual income located across Andhra Pradesh to local residents and archakas (priests). The decision is in accordance with the recent orders from the High Court.
At a press conference on Tuesday at the Secretariat at Velagapudi, Guntur district, Deputy Chief Minister Kottu Satyanarayana, who oversees the Endowments portfolio, said the department received only 37 applications so far. He said interested persons should step forward and assume the responsibility of day-to-day operations of the temples such as temple rituals, offerings like Dhoopa-Deepa-Naivedyam, and other associated tasks. During the transition period, the Endowments Department will continue to oversee the puja activities at these temples, he said.
He had extensively deliberated on the suggestions put forth by diverse temple advisory bodies, archakas, and other stakeholders at a meeting earlier in the day with key department officials, he said. The demands raised by the outsourced employees who contribute to temple operations were also discussed, and appropriate decisions would be taken as per the rules, he added.
The overarching goal of these endeavours is to safeguard, foster, and propagate the principles of Hindu Sanatana Dharma, he said.
Stating that 4.6 lakh acres of temple lands and 1.65 crore square yards of commercial land had been encroached across the State, he said the government had initiated action to protect the assets.
