Hyderabad: The state government’s decision to pay priests and staff working in temples salaries through the treasuries department from December 1 on par with government employees has exposed irregularities in appointments made in temples over the years. The Endowments department has started collecting details from all temples to find the exact number of priests and temples eligible for government salaries.
The exercise revealed that 1,500 priests and staff were appointed in excess by executive committees in temples, against the norms. Though there was a ban imposed on fresh appointments in 2006, it was found that the committees flouted the norms. As per norms, the expenditure on salaries should not exceed 30 per cent of the total earnings in a particular temple. But it was found that the salary burden has increased up to 70 per cent in temples.
The executive committees used their discretion to appoint the staff of their choice over the years. With no government monitoring over temples, these irregularities never came to light. However, the recent decision of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to pay salaries to priests and staff in temples through the treasuries department exposed these irregularities.
Endowment officials are sifting through the records of all temples to assess how many priests and workers are eligible for salaries from the government.
Barring a few big temples, not many were found to be maintaining proper records and there are no details available on how much was being pain as salaries.
Endowments minister A. Indrakaran Reddy ordered a departmental inquiry into the issue. “We have sought the the report by November 25,” Mr Reddy said.
All irregular appointments will not be considered for salaries. Only appointments that comply with the government’s norms will be considered and final list will be submitted to treasuries department. The department will open bank accounts and credit their salary on the first of every month,” Mr Reddy said.
