BENGALURU: To bring in more transparency and also help pilgrims, the Karnataka Endowments Department has developed a unique Integrated Temples Management System (ITMS) to provide details of temples, including properties owned by them, route maps to reach the temples, sevas offered and their rate charts, among other details.
Minister for Muzrai, Haj and Wakf Shashikala Jolle said ITMS will be a mobile app and will also be a gateway to donate money from anywhere and help generate revenues for temples. As many as 34,559 temples come under the department. About 50,000 archaks, pradhan archaks, Group C and D employees work in these temples, including contract workers. The minister said that a special puja will be performed at all temples in the state that come under the department against the spread of Covid.
Also, a health insurance scheme is being introduced to the 37,000 priests and employees working at Muzrai temples, Jolle said. At present, 1,034 priests and staff are getting their salaries under the Fifth Pay Commission, she said.
The implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations will not be an extra financial burden on the government as up to 35% of the revenue from A and B category temples will be utilised. “This would cost the department an additional Rs 20 crore and it has been discussed with the CM,” she added.