CHENNAI: The DMK government has made significant strides in the HR and CE Department during past three years, which includes retrieval of temple lands worth Rs 5,577.35 crore from encroachers, an official release said.
The government has performed consecration at 1,355 temples between May 7, 2021 and January 31, 2024, carried out renovation works at 8,436 temples at a total cost of Rs 3,776 crore, and restored 143 temple tanks at a cost of Rs 84.16 crore.
The release also said 15,753 temple priests have been getting Rs 1,000 per month and Rs 10,000 has been given to 400 legal heirs of priests who work in temples where the One Time Pooja Scheme is implemented for pursuing higher studies.
The government bears the expenses for devotees going on pilgrimage from Rameswaram to Kashi every year at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore and allocated Rs 1,50 crore towards taking 1,000 devotees to six abodes of Lord Muruga.
The government has appointed 11 women as Oodhuvars in different temples. ‘Annadanam’ schemes are being implemented in 756 temples and around 82,000 devotees benefit from this every day. The release also recalled that till 1967 when the DMK assumed office, HR&CE department remained among the ‘miscellaneous subjects’ and only the DMK government headed by former chief minister M Karunanidhi in 1970 had created a separate department.