The Simhachalam temple trust board, at a meeting here on Thursday, discussed the provision of an office for the Chairperson and appointment of an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) with a salary of ₹50,000 a month, apart from food and accommodation, for a period of three years.
The Board also discussed the need to appoint two committees to suggest ways to increase the Hundi revenue and improvement of sanitation at the temple, appointment of full-fledged audit and law teams, design and development of the temple website, appointment of a photographer and videographer for the temple for a period of three years, through a newspaper notification in a fair and transparent manner.
The Board decided to defer the following items on the agenda: proposal to give the temple lands on an 11-year-lease, increase in the toll gate charges at Simhachalam, selling the surplus sandalwood at the temple to raise revenue and to operate the Devasthanam petrol bunks at Gopalapatnam and Gosala through HPCL and to write a letter to seek the approval of the Endowments Commissioner for auction of shops at the temple to the highest bidder in the open auction held on August 18.
The Board approved the appointment of OSD, appointment of two committees, photographer and vidoegrapher for three years, setting up of an audit department among other things.
Trust Board Chairperson Sanchaita Gajapathi Raju participated in the meeting through video-conference. Arrangements were made for online participation of other members, who could not attend in person in view of COVID-19 protocols, for participation in the meeting.
