AP CM urges setting up health, education centres near temples

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state government is planning to develop surroundings of all major temples to include health, education and wellness centres in them.

"Temple premises should also house educational institutions, spiritual and wellness centres and Ayush centers (for health) so that an entire ecosystem is created in the region," the AP CM said. He said that if wellness increases, it would bring down healthcare spending.

Addressing participants at a review meeting of the Endowments Department at the CM's Camp Office here, he said, "Feeding people should be mandatory in every temple. No person in temple surroundings should go hungry. We should be able to feed every person in the vicinity. Simultaneously, hygiene and sanitation should be maintained along with beautification and landscaping," he said.

Naidu also underscored the need to protect endowment lands. "Come up with innovative ways to build parks and sports facilities in these areas," he said. Stating that temples should become part of people's lives, he suggested that on occasions like birth, marriage and death, temple priests should visit houses and perform rituals.

"If a baby is born, the local priest can visit the house and bless them. A similar practice can be followed for marriages. In the case of death, they can perform 'shuddhi puja' and other rituals. This practice of connecting with people will bring goodwill," he said.

He asked the Endowments Department to set up a call centre to seek feedback from them. "The call centre should monitor all temples and their daily activities regularly," he said.

"Digitisation of all temple records, daily activities is very important," he said, adding that the state government is planning to hold workshops to train temple priests. He said that temples with incomes of more than Rs 1 crore, should be audited. "Appoint a financial advisor who will audit funds and income regularly," he said.

Cultural activities like the Kuchipudi dance should be promoted in a grand way, with themes based on temple dieties.

"This will not only highlight the cultural quotient but also bring in spirituality," he said.

He instructed officials to also encourage people to volunteer at temples. "Volunteering is a big way to mobilize people. Encourage people to volunteer at temples and serve people. This way, we can also mobilise them for major spiritual and cultural events".