Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

Portal on properties of temples launched

HYDERABAD: A unique initiative of the government—‘Temples Portal’, a website of the Endowments Department---containing details of properties, jewellery, land, ‘hundi’ collections was launched by Chief Minister K. Rosaiah here on Friday.

He said the objective of the website was to protect the properties of 37,602 temples as also make all public donations/offerings transparent. The Endowments Act of 1967 when P.V. Narasimha Rao was Endowments Minister became the basis for many States to enact a similar legislation as it proved to be the best.

On the proposed appointment of an IAS officer for protecting temple properties, the Chief Minister said a favourable decision would be taken shortly.

Earlier, Endowments Minister Gade Venkata Reddy said property details of 30,322 temples were included on the website.

Details of lands, lease amounts, shops and income earned through them, ‘hundi’ collections, temple deposits, details of jewellery (835 kg gold and 55,000 kg silver) were on display.

As decided earlier, the lease amounts on temple lands would be assessed in relation with market rates and the process would be completed by March next. Rents being collected from shops would also be rationalised. Encroachments would be removed and land records upgraded by June 2010.

He said officials were collecting details of sub-lease of shops/lands in violation of agreements.

Such agreements would be cancelled. He said 34,813 acres of 4,30,033 acres belonging to temples have been encroached.

In a bid for early resolution of pending land disputes, a State-level special endowments tribunal had been constituted.

Mr. Reddy said criminal action would be initiated against those who misuse temple funds.

The Minister announced the constitution of a 21-member AP Dharmika Parishad with himself as the chairman.

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