AP Government Issues SOPs To Account for Hundi Donations at Temples

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government has issued a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for opening of Hundis and enumerating its contents, including cash and valuables, strictly under centralised CC camera surveillance systems at all temples in AP.

The SoPs come in the aftermath of a controversial theft from the Parakamani of Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) as well as vanishing of five-kg silver ornaments and other valuables from a temple in Kadiri of Sri Satyasai district.

Endowments commissioner K. Rama Chandra Mohan has issued these detailed SOPs with comprehensive revised guidelines, which should be strictly implemented by endowments of all temples in Andhra Pradesh under the of 6 (a), (b) and(c) categories coming within the purview of regional joint commissioners (RJCs), deputy commissioners (DCs) and district endowments officers (DEOs).

Accordingly, all executive officers of the temples should intimate the date and time of Hundi opening and counting at least five days in advance to the respective administrative heads of RJC, DC and DEO concerned without fail. These administrative heads should monitor the Hundi counting through the centralised CC camera system. In their absence, a responsible superintendent should be entrusted with the task and a separate register should be maintained with details of the names of the temples, date and time of counting, name of the supervising officer, and other details.

The administrative heads must preserve a copy of the Hundi counting proceedings for a minimum of 30 days for accountability and verification.

As per the SOPs, Hundis of the eight major temples located in Simhachalam, Annavaram, Vadapalli, Dwaraka Tirumala, Vijayawada, Srikalahasthi, Kanipakam and Srisailam should be opened once in every 15 days, while in all temples, they should be opened for counting every month.

Every hundi shall be secured with a double lock system, with one key with the district endowments officer concerned and the second key with the executive officer of the temple. The DEO should attend Hundi openings in temples under the joint commissioner and deputy commissioner cadre without fail. In all other temples, the presence of an officer not below the rank of inspector or superintendent is mandatory.

Hundi counting should be taken up from 7 am to 5 pm and the money derived from all opened hundis must be counted and remitted into the bank account on the same day. Under no circumstances no unaccounted money be stored in the temple store room. The temple EO should inform police, revenue and bank authorities five days in advance. The EO must open Hundis in the presence of the supervising officer, attending devotees, police personnel and temple staff. The entire process should be video recorded.

All male staff to be engaged for counting should wear dhoti and naga and no shirts, banians and jubbas are to be permitted. All registers, documents, rubber bands, weighing machines, purity testing equipment should be kept ready, and counting staff must deposit their wallets, gold and other ornaments, cell phones and cash at a designated place.

Students and women shall not be engaged in the hundi counting process. No vehicle belonging to the EO, trustees and other officers should be parked near the counting hall. Police personnel should thoroughly check temple staff when they exit the donation counting area and record their signatures in the movement register.

CCTV cameras must be installed along the route to the toilets.

During festivals, temporary canvas hundis should be covered in such a way that offerings dropped by the devotees are visible. The canvas hundis should be sealed by authorities. Ornaments received in the Hundis should be photographed and kept in the locker in the presence of both the EO and supervising officer.

All cash, coins and foreign currency received through Hundis should be handed over to the bank on the same day and a challan should be obtained. An entry should be made in the Hundi Assortment Register on the same day. Only after completion of the entire process, can the EO and supervising officer leave the counting hall.

A senior endowments officer said, “We have started following SOPs under electronic surveillance in all the temples. We hope there will be no lapses.”