Telangana: 4,800 temple archakas set to receive pay hikes

Hyderabad: It would be big relief for nearly 4,800 archakas and administration staff in temples across Telangana as authorities were taking steps to modify previous orders, paving the way for increase of pay scales on par with government employees.

As per G.O 577 issued by endowments department in September 2017, nearly 790 archakas and temple staff got hiked wages from December. However, implementation of the same for 4,800 temple staff working in 640 temples was yet to begin.

Of them, nearly 3,200 were working on contract/NMR or consolidated pay basis and their service had to be regularised to make them eligible for increased pay scales. However, absence of a Dharmika Parishad was also against their favour. Usually, the parishad took care of administrative affairs in temples without direct intervention from endowments department or the government.

The employees denied the benefits had been on protests  for the last few weeks. The JAC of Temple archakas and staff led by chairman Gangu Bhanumurthi, Subramanya Sharma (archaka) and Kandkuri Krishnamachary (Greater Hyderabad president) met the Endowments Commissioner urging him to implement pay hike decision for all.

According to Krishnamachary, officials had written to the government for nod to give age relaxations and conditional promotions, irrespective of educational qualification. Also, anomalies that were seen in fixing new scales were being sorted out, he added. The JAC delegation also called on Chief Secretary Dr S.K.Joshi on Monday.

The JAC members said the Commissioner and higher officials had assured them that they would get increased salaries from March. The increased wages would in the range of Rs 20,000 to Rs 70,000 depending on seniority.