HYDERABAD: Popular temples are finding it difficult to pay their priests and staff as not many devotees are visiting amid the unrelenting COVID-19 pandemic. The Telangana government had authorised a few major temples, which generate high income, to pay the salaries.
Usually, the Endowments Department pays wages to around 2,740 temple staff. After a prolonged lockdown, the government allowed temples across the State to open on June 8, but prohibited special rituals and pujas.
Sources from the Endowments Department said that this affected the temples' income, which dipped by 10 per cent. They said that if this continues, it would become difficult for the temple trust boards to pay the salaries.
It is learnt that the Yadadri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple’s treasury, which had nearly Rs 6 crore before the lockdown, is left with Rs 2.2 crore after paying the wages to temporary and permanent staff. The temple trust board is considering seeking permission from the government to release fixed deposits or take overdrafts from financial institutions.
The temple EO, Geetha Reddy, said they have surplus amounts and if necessary they would withdraw from the fixed deposits. On the other hand, the Telangana Archaka Samakhya has requested the government to help pay its priests.
Its working president, Gangu Upendra Sharma, said, "It will be difficult to pay wages with such low income. Temples such as Yadadri, Basara and Bhadradri have around 600, 400, and 200 staff, respectively. With almost no income, it is difficult to pay the salaries. The government should support the temples."