Since assuming office in May last, the Tamil Nadu government has retrieved 432.82 acres of temple land, worth ₹1,628.61 crore, after removing encroachments, Governor R.N. Ravi said in the Assembly on Wednesday.
“I sincerely appreciate the government for taking proactive steps to safeguard temple land and effectively manage temple assets,” he said. A publication division of the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) would be established with state-of-the-art facilities to bring out books on the history and architecture of temples, and the Tamil literature, including Bhakti literature.
Bookstalls planned
The Governor said a drive would be launched to preserve the rare palm leaf manuscripts available at temples and mutts. Major temples would be encouraged to have bookstalls wherein books on the history of temples, heritage, culture and Tamil language would be displayed.
Listing the steps being taken, the Governor said the government was providing ₹1,000 each in monthly incentive to priests working at 12,959 temples under the scheme of ‘Oru Kaala Poojai’.
“In a landmark move, fulfilling the dream of Thanthai Periyar [social reformer E.V. Ramasamy] and Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar [former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi] that people of all castes could become archakas, this government had issued appointment orders to 58 trained archakas belonging to different caste denominations,” Mr. Ravi said.
The government also ordered that no charges be collected from differently abled for conducting their marriage at temples and temple-owned marriage halls, he said. Retired officials of the Archaeological Survey of India and the State Archaeology Department had been appointed as archaeological advisers for conservation, preservation and renovation of ancient temples under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.
