HYDERABAD: The state government has decided to enhance the honorarium to temple priests from the present Rs 2,500 to Rs 6,000. The enhanced salaries would be implemented from June month payable in July.
Endowments minister A Indra Karan Reddy held discussions with chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao here on Saturday and discussed about the ongoing strike by temple priests.
Speaking to reporters later, the endowments minister said that he explained to the chief minister about the problems of priests. The chief minister has agreed to enhance the honorarium to be paid to temple priests under Dhoopa Deepa Naivedyam scheme from the present Rs 2,500 to Rs 6,000. The chief minister has also agreed to give a special Telangana increment to Archakas, the minister said.
The chief minister has agreed in principle to pay the honorarium and salaries of temple priests and staff through treasury, the minister said and added that a committee would be constituted to study the feasibility. The committee would submit its report within a month, Indra Karan Reddy said.
The government issued a GO constituting the committee. The committee has Ch V Sai Prasad, joint secretary (Finance), V Venkateswarlu, deputy secretary (Endowments), M Ramakrishna Rao, deputy commissioner of Endowments.
The endowments minister said that all the works for the ensuing Godavari Pushkarams would be completed by July 1.