TG Govt Will Protect Endowment Lands in State: Konda Surekha

Hyderabad: Endowment minister Konda Surekha said that the government was taking measures to protect temple land by conducting a fresh survey and geo-tagging 34,092 acres of endowment land. She said the government would issue a gazette notification for the protection of endowment land.

Addressing a press conference, Surekha said that details of 57 per cent of endowment land had been entered into Dharani records to ensure that they cannot be re-registered. The entry of remaining land would be done shortly, after the survey.

Explaining the measures taken for development of temples, Surekha said the gold plating of the ‘vimana gopuram’ of Yadadri temple would be completed before Brahmotsavam in February. The temple had started an ‘annadaanam’ programme with `15 crore received from donors. Stating that almost 2,500 pilgrims had been making use of it every day in Yadadri, Surekha said that the sheds have been arranged for the convenience of devotees who reach the temple located on foot.

She announced that the government had released `60 crore to acquire land to improve Sri Seeta Ramachandra Swamy temple at Bhadrachalam as per the master plan. The government also prepared master plans for the development of the temples in Vemulawada and Basara.

Surekha said the state government was developing an integrated website containing the information of all the temples and the online pooja services. Scanning the QR code would lead viewers to the temples’ history and services available.

She said the recent transfers carried out in the endowment department had relieved the employees working at the same place for the last 15 years, Surekha said that the roster for the zonal system and subordinate service rules have been modified for the first time after the Presidential Order was issued in 2018.