The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Action on archakas' demands recommended

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 16, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Action on archakas' demands recommended

Special Correspondent

The department has mooted doing away with the system of having managers as it was becoming a burden on temples.

HYDERABAD: The Endowments Department has recommended that the Government consider the demand raised by the "Archaka Samakhya" at its recent discussions with officials to re-classify temples in the State.

According to the recommendation, temples having income of Rs. 25 lakhs as class 6 `A', those with Rs. 10-25 lakhs as `B' and less than Rs. 10 lakhs as `C' in view of inflation and falling rupee value.

It had already suggested that Government reclassify temples having income up to Rs. 5 lakhs as 6 `C', between Rs. 5-10 lakhs as 6 `B' and more than Rs. 10 lakhs as 6 `A'.

EO appointment

Another recommendation was review of grouping of executive officers after considering income levels of temples. Those with incomes between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 5 lakhs may be considered as group for appointment of Executive Officers. Lower income group temples up to a certain income limit may be exempted from appointment of EO.

The department has mooted doing away with the system of having managers as it was "becoming a burden on temples." This comes in the wake of the decision taken at a meeting convened by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Hereditary system

Referring to the demand seeking to restore the hereditary system of `Archakatwam,' the department felt it might not be in the interest of endowments institutions to revive it as pay scales are being paid to `Archakas' and other religious staff in all six `A' temples. But it observed that it would be reasonable to consider restoration in those temples which are unable to pay salaries and which are having income of less than Rs. 5 lakhs as it would give relief to the lower rungs of `Archakas' languishing in uncertainty of livelihood.

The department also recommended that `archakas' in class `C' temples may be allowed to take plate collections offered by devotees.

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Andhra Pradesh