VIJAYAWADA: The state government issued an ordinance on Friday amending the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987. Under the new norms, the annual contribution of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to the State government has been increased to Rs 50 crore from the earlier Rs 2.5 crore. The richest temple administration in the country will have to cough up the amount towards Common Good Fund (CGF), Archakas and Workers Fund (AWF) and Endowments Administrative Fund (EAF).
Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan promulgated Ordinance No 14 of 2021, amending the Act. As the Assembly is not in session, the Governor issued the ordinance to bring the amendment with immediate effect. The Rs 50 crore will be used to develop less-income temples under the ambit of the Endowments department and it will be revised every five years with an enhancement of 10 per cent of the total.
According to the ordinance, the TTD is earning crores of rupees annually through donations from devotees, offerings, sale of darshanam tickets, Arjitha sevas and other sources, but are paying just Rs 2.5 crore per year to the Endowments department under Common Good Fund, Archakas and other employees Welfare Fund and Endowments Administrative Fund. Other temples such as Srisailam Mallikarjuna Swamy temple, Vijayawada Durga temple, Annavaram Satyanarayana Swamy temple, Dwaraka Tirumala Temple, Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple are paying not less than Rs 10 crore.
In order to maintain uniformity based on the income generated, the government amended Sections 65, 70, 116 and 161 of the Act making it mandatory to contribute Rs 50 crore annually. “This ordinance may be called Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments (Second amendment) Ordinance -2021 and it shall come into force immediately,” reads the ordinance.
The fund from the TTD will be used by the Endowments department to develop and renovate temples in the state, maintain Aagama and Veda Paatashalas and Dhupa Dheepa Naivedyam schemes. Also, ordinance No 13 of 2021 was issued by the State government constituting Andhra Pradesh Dharmika Parishad with four official members and 17 non-official members from different areas.