VIJAYAWADA: State Endowments commissioner M Hari Jawaharlal has issued orders appointing temporary in-charges for district affairs as district endowments officers (DEOs), thereby replacing the old system of appointing only assistant commissioner-rank officers to the posts.
Due to this move, superintendent and grade-1 executive officer-rank employees have received postings as DEOs. The duties of DEOs include protecting lands of temples and conducting periodic audits in the temples in their jurisdictions that fall under 6(B) and 6(C) categories.
According to the order, a generic name of district endowments officer in the department has been given during the provisional allocation of employees where assistant commissioners, superintendents and grade-1 executive officers were designated as DEOs for administrative reasons.
"Earlier, there were 13 districts in the State, which now has 26 districts. After the district reorganisation, there was a huge need for Asst Commissioner rank officers in all the districts," said the Endowments Commissioner.
Out of 26 districts, the commissioner appointed assistant commissioner rank officials for 16 districts, superintendent rank officers for five districts and grade-1 executive officer rank officers for five other districts.
"The entire administration in the temples falls under 6(B) and 6(C) category of AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act," the commissioner added.