VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Endowments Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said the State government has increased the monthly maintenance under Dhoopa Deepa Naivedyam from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. He took charge as Endowments Minister at Endowments Commissioner office in Gollapudi on Thursday and said a special committee will be constituted to oversee the renovation and other development works in temples across Andhra Pradesh.
Marking the occasion, Ramanarayana Reddy signed on two files—increasing monthly maintenance to temples and constituting a committee of senior officials to monitor the renovation of old and dilapidated temples in the State.
Addressing the media, Reddy asserted that Chandrababu Naidu’s government is aiming to renovate all the old and historic temples across the State to restore their past glory. He further said the government is committed to protecting every cent of land belonging to the temples.
“Many temples in the State were abandoned during the YSRC regime, while some are facing existential problems. We have an action plan to renovate and develop those temples on par with other famous temples in the country,” Ramanarayana Reddy said.
He stated that activities in all the 26,000 temples under the ambit of the endowments department and development works will be carried out only after taking suggestions from religious heads such as pontiffs and heads of mutts.
“There will be no unilateral decisions in temple related activities from here onwards. Suggestions and opinions of religious heads will be considered,” he underlined.