VIJAYAWADA: Deputy Chief Minister and minister for Endowments Kottu Satyanarayana on Tuesday announced that a state-level committee is being formed for evaluation and approvals of work tenders that cost above Rs 5 crore.
The committee comprises commissioner, chief engineer, joint commissioners, legal advisors, executive officer of concerned temple, joint secretary (finance) and chief engineer of Roads and Building department.
The minister stated that top priority will be given to bring transparency in the endowments department through the internal checking mechanism in tenders related to temple development works.
“A special accounts wing is going to operate from the endowments commissioner office which will look after the delay in releasing bills for contractors. All the payments to contractors related to works completed will be released through this special wing directly,” he said.
Kottu explained further added that the department is spending around Rs 225 crore for the development works in the Sri Durga Malleswara Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD), another Rs 150 crore worth development works in Sri Bramarambika Mallikarjuna Swamy temple, Srisailam and in other temples across the State.
The Endowments department also entered into an MoU with a private lab with NABL approval, for testing the ingredients being used for temple daily proceedings such as prasadam making.