VIJAYAWADA: The endowments department will shortly replace the biometric attendance of the staff at its head office as well as in temples with the Face Recognition Software (AP-FRS).
Deputy Chief Minister (Endowments) Kottu Satyanaryana announced this decision during the weekly review meeting in the Secretariat on Tuesday. The minister said that AP-FRS has been implemented at the Secretariat and the same will be used by the Endowments department henceforth.
“Orders to this effect were issued to the endowments commissioner, considering there are several issues that have arisen due to biometric system of attendance. This is meant for a greater transparency,” he stated.
The minister said they have finalised the upgradation of the temples based on the revenues which has been increased in recent times. The proposal will be sent to the State Cabinet for approval.
“Re-categorisation of the temples by upgrading some of them allows for the promotion of 14 assistant commissioners as deputy commissioners of endowment and create four vacancies at assistant commissioner level, which will be filled up in due course,” he said.
A meeting is scheduled to be held on next Monday to discuss about the promotions and recruitment for the four posts. “Vadapalle Sri Venkateswra Swamy temple in Konaseema district will be upgraded, which will also address the shortage of the staff in that temple and facilities of the devotees will get improved,” he said.
He appealed to the employees entangled in legal disputes over promotions and other administrative reasons to settle those issues amicably. “With the co-operation of the employees and withdrawal of cases, promotions could be made based on their seniority and qualifications,” Satyanaryana said.The meeting also reviewed the status of the endowments lands under each and every temples in the State at micro-level and the details of the same are being entered in 43 registers.
“The process is going on at an healthy pace. As on date, 4,65,428 acres of lands under various temples have been identified,” he said and added that if any land belonging to private persons is entered erroneously in records during sub-division of the temple lands, the same will be rectified using the help of officials.