The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Amended Endowments Bill promises autonomy to temples

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 27, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Amended Endowments Bill promises autonomy to temples

M.L. Melly Maitreyi

It will revive thousands of neglected temples in State

Soundarrajan hails the passing of the Amendment Bill of 2007 as a positive step
Amended Section 144 now enables archakas to accept plate collections and other offerings

HYDERABAD: The passing of Endowments Act Amendment Bill of 2007 by both, the Legislative Assembly and Council last week, gives hope for revival of thousands of old temples in the State by giving them autonomy.

Andhra Pradesh Archaka Samakhya vice-president and Temples Movement convener Soundarrajan hails the passing of the Amendment Bill of 2007 as a positive step to achieve the objective of reviving thousands of neglected temples to regain their past glory.

There are as 33,575 temples with annual income up to Rs.50,000.

Of this 27,888 temples have annual income of less than Rs.5,000 and they do not get any attention from the Endowment Department.

The amendment to 30/ 87 Endowments Act has been a long pending demand.

Thousands of old temples are on the verge of closure, as the Endowments Department has failed to maintain them and archakas remain helpless spectators as they have no role under the 1987 Endowments Act, Dr. Soundarrajan said.

Archakas’ role

The amended bill is to be given gubernatorial approval before being notified by the government.

The amended bill provides maximum autonomy to temples with ‘archakas’ playing pivotal role while the Endowments Department will be vested with regulatory supervision.

The Act also recognised that hereditary Archaka system was not a right but the duty of the person in the family to serve the temple.

The amended Sec.15 of 1987 Act allows ‘archaka’ to become ex-officio member of the Trust Board and there will be place for philanthropists too in the Board.

The amended Section 144 now enables archakas to accept plate collections and other offerings from devotees to lead a life of dignity and the department has been directed to frame such schemes. More importantly a separate Endowments Tribunal will be created with a judicial officer and an administrative officer to protect lands from encroachments.

The Amended Bill is also for creating a separate fund for paying salaries to Archakas and temple employees under section 65 A.

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