
Andhra asks holy places to damage FDs as well as pay fees, effect of govt sleepiness
The BJP has actually banged the government as well as called the transfer to recuperate financial obligations as a ‘vindictive move against temples’ in the state.
Several holy places in Andhra Pradesh have actually needed to too soon terminate their repaired down payments to pay pending legal costs that they owe the Endowments Department for the previous 8 years. This, after the state Endowments Commissioner, M Hari Jawaharlal, released a round on June 18, 2022, routing all Executive Officers (EO) of holy places to clear pending legal costs that are owed to the Endowments Department or face corrective activity. .
The government providing instructions to accumulate the pending fees, nonetheless, has actually come to be a tussle in between the state as well as the BJP, with the last describing it an assault on Hindu holy places. The government nonetheless states the fees are required by the division to assist holy places. A closer check out the problem exposes that years of sleepiness by 2 successive federal governments has actually currently come forward.
As per the Andhra Pradesh Charitable as well as Hindu Religious Institutions Act of 1966, holy places making over Rs 5 lakh yearly are meant to pay 8% of it to the Endowments Administrative Fund (EAF), 9% to the Common Goods Fund (CGF), 3% to the Archakas Welfare Fund (AWF), as well as 1.5% in the direction of audit costs. This suggests that according to the Act, all holy places making over Rs 5 lakh per year are to pay 21.5% of their yearly revenue to theEndowments Department But lots of have actually not been paying. .
According to the division, 1,776 endowment organizations have financial obligations totaling up to Rs 353.80 crores; out of which holy places have actually paid Rs 42 crores in the months of April as well asMay Temples typically point out pending development job as well as repayments to specialists as factors for not paying the financial obligations. They include that COVID-19 has actually included in their problems with reduced step amidst the pandemic. As per the most up to date government round, nonetheless, holy places have actually been advised to remove their pending fees also if they require to encash their repaired down payment invoices in order to do so. Deputy Commissioners of the Department have actually been left with the duty to determine all those that do not pay financial obligations as well as send draft short articles of fees. ‘Need money for development of temples’
Following the debate, Kottu Satyanarayana, Andhra Pradesh Endowments Minister that is additionally the state’s Deputy Chief Minister, has actually tried to clear up that, as opposed to the BJP’s insurance claims, the government has actually been tolerant in the direction of accumulating fees. .
“The Act necessitates that all temples with annual income above Rs 5 lakh pay the statutory fees, but we are collecting it only from temples with an annual income more than Rs 20 lakh. This money, collected under the Common Goods Fund (CGF), is used for renovation of temples and for development work. There are several applications pending for various work to be carried out to which the department committed Rs 225.82 crores. The department also has bills to pay. We wish to provide the best facilities for devotees, and for all this, funds are required. Several temples are keeping the money as FDs instead of clearing their arrears.”
The BJP has actually declared in the past that cash accumulated by the Endowments Department- which is implied for maintaining, defense as well as promo of Hindu holy places as well as Hindu religious beliefs- was drawn away for the government’s Amma Vodi well-being plan (monetary support to mommies). There have actually additionally been accusations that the funds were being made use of by authorities to get main cars and trucks, upkeep of endowments workplaces and so on Dismissing accusations of abuse, the Endowments Minister stated, “It is unfortunate that the chief of a national party is making such baseless and misleading allegations. They are trying to portray as if Hindu temples are being fleeced. Not a single rupee can be diverted. Everything is happening in a very organised and systematic way with regular reviews by the concerned officials.” .
The TDP was in power in Andhra Pradesh from 2014 to 2019, while the Jagan Mohan Reddy- led YSRCP government concerned power in 2019. From the accounts provided by the government, it shows up both federal governments did not demand the cost collection. ‘One-time payment drains temple funds’
This has actually been explained by Andhra Pradesh Brahmin Association president,Dronamraju Ravi Kumar He has actually required that the authorities in charge of the pendency for greater than 8 years be penalized. “The government is currently calling the repaired down payments as excess funds. Who would certainly concern the rescue of the holy places, if there is an additional pandemic like COVID-19? Forcing the holy places to shut FDs to pay all financial obligations at the same time is wrong on component of the division. That stated, according to the Act, it is additionally the duty of holy places to pay their as a result of the division.”.
Demanding that those that are accountable for this mess needs to be taken to job, the Brahmin Association president declared, “During the time of bifurcation, the officials at the helm of affairs encouraged temples not to pay the statutory dues. The Endowments Department was also to be bifurcated between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana; and the existing funds of the department were to be divided in a 60-40 ratio between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, respectively. Hence, the temples were asked not to pay the fees they owed to the department during the time of bifurcation, and no effort was made to collect it for years after. Temples continued to adopt the easy-going approach even after bifurcation. Let the government punish those responsible for this mess. There is a separate department for collection of the CGF contributions from the temples. It failed in its duty,” he stated.
And also the most up to date activity by the division was not spontaneous, it was motivated by a caution from the Vigilance division. Vigilance Dept memorandum aids cash-strapped Endowment Dept
The Endowments Department got 22 suggestions from the Vigilance Department prior to a round was released to endowment organizations. .
Speaking to TNM, Endowments Commissioner, M Hari Jawarharlal stated, “The Vigilance Department’s memo warning strict action was preceded by 22 reminders to the Endowments Department regarding pending statutory payments. Initially, the reminders weren’t taken seriously, but when the memo was sent, we also took it seriously. Considering the department’s resource crunch, receiving the arrears now would help fulfill the pending requests for renovation and development. The circular issued says Executive Officers of temples would face disciplinary action if the arrears are not paid.”
“There are several needs and grievances put forward by the Archakas. Though their salaries are paid by the respective temples, the welfare of the Archakas is important to be looked into. We will be able to fulfil these requests for renovation and welfare only if we receive the arrears from the respective temples,” included the Commissioner. .
According to the division, there are a number of holy places in country areas which want assistance from the Endowments Department for pooja products as well as routine active ingredients, for which they require funds from removing financial obligations. BJP declares ruthless perspective in the direction of holy places .
BJP state president Somu Veerraju composed a letter to Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy claiming that the round was damaging to the rate of interests of the Hindu temples as it would certainly paralyze their financial resources. He additionally called the relocation an “act of vengeance” versus holy places.
Speaking to TNM, BJP leader Dinakar Lanka stated, “Temples are being considered as revenue generating assets. Temple money is for temple development. Why is the Endowments Department targeting only temples and not alluding their power on other religious organisations?”
Both Somu Veerraju as well as Dinakar Lanka declared that imams as well as priests were being paid from the government treasury as well as called this discrimination. However, it is not simply imams as well as priests, however additionally archakas in Hindu holy places that are qualified to be paid an amount of Rs 5,000 month-to-month, according to a statement by CM Jagan in April 2020. The BJP’s insurance claims that imams as well as priests are paid the gratuity from the government fund whereas the gratuity for clergymans is paid from the payments accumulated from the holy places. .
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The government providing instructions to accumulate the pending fees, nonetheless, has actually come to be a tussle in between the state as well as the BJP, with the last describing it an assault on Hindu holy places. The government nonetheless states the fees are required by the division to assist holy places. A closer check out the problem exposes that years of sleepiness by 2 successive federal governments has actually currently come forward.
As per the Andhra Pradesh Charitable as well as Hindu Religious Institutions Act of 1966, holy places making over Rs 5 lakh yearly are meant to pay 8% of it to the Endowments Administrative Fund (EAF), 9% to the Common Goods Fund (CGF), 3% to the Archakas Welfare Fund (AWF), as well as 1.5% in the direction of audit costs. This suggests that according to the Act, all holy places making over Rs 5 lakh per year are to pay 21.5% of their yearly revenue to theEndowments Department But lots of have actually not been paying. .
According to the division, 1,776 endowment organizations have financial obligations totaling up to Rs 353.80 crores; out of which holy places have actually paid Rs 42 crores in the months of April as well asMay Temples typically point out pending development job as well as repayments to specialists as factors for not paying the financial obligations. They include that COVID-19 has actually included in their problems with reduced step amidst the pandemic. As per the most up to date government round, nonetheless, holy places have actually been advised to remove their pending fees also if they require to encash their repaired down payment invoices in order to do so. Deputy Commissioners of the Department have actually been left with the duty to determine all those that do not pay financial obligations as well as send draft short articles of fees. ‘Need money for development of temples’
Following the debate, Kottu Satyanarayana, Andhra Pradesh Endowments Minister that is additionally the state’s Deputy Chief Minister, has actually tried to clear up that, as opposed to the BJP’s insurance claims, the government has actually been tolerant in the direction of accumulating fees. .
“The Act necessitates that all temples with annual income above Rs 5 lakh pay the statutory fees, but we are collecting it only from temples with an annual income more than Rs 20 lakh. This money, collected under the Common Goods Fund (CGF), is used for renovation of temples and for development work. There are several applications pending for various work to be carried out to which the department committed Rs 225.82 crores. The department also has bills to pay. We wish to provide the best facilities for devotees, and for all this, funds are required. Several temples are keeping the money as FDs instead of clearing their arrears.”
The BJP has actually declared in the past that cash accumulated by the Endowments Department- which is implied for maintaining, defense as well as promo of Hindu holy places as well as Hindu religious beliefs- was drawn away for the government’s Amma Vodi well-being plan (monetary support to mommies). There have actually additionally been accusations that the funds were being made use of by authorities to get main cars and trucks, upkeep of endowments workplaces and so on Dismissing accusations of abuse, the Endowments Minister stated, “It is unfortunate that the chief of a national party is making such baseless and misleading allegations. They are trying to portray as if Hindu temples are being fleeced. Not a single rupee can be diverted. Everything is happening in a very organised and systematic way with regular reviews by the concerned officials.” .
The TDP was in power in Andhra Pradesh from 2014 to 2019, while the Jagan Mohan Reddy- led YSRCP government concerned power in 2019. From the accounts provided by the government, it shows up both federal governments did not demand the cost collection. ‘One-time payment drains temple funds’
This has actually been explained by Andhra Pradesh Brahmin Association president,Dronamraju Ravi Kumar He has actually required that the authorities in charge of the pendency for greater than 8 years be penalized. “The government is currently calling the repaired down payments as excess funds. Who would certainly concern the rescue of the holy places, if there is an additional pandemic like COVID-19? Forcing the holy places to shut FDs to pay all financial obligations at the same time is wrong on component of the division. That stated, according to the Act, it is additionally the duty of holy places to pay their as a result of the division.”.
Demanding that those that are accountable for this mess needs to be taken to job, the Brahmin Association president declared, “During the time of bifurcation, the officials at the helm of affairs encouraged temples not to pay the statutory dues. The Endowments Department was also to be bifurcated between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana; and the existing funds of the department were to be divided in a 60-40 ratio between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, respectively. Hence, the temples were asked not to pay the fees they owed to the department during the time of bifurcation, and no effort was made to collect it for years after. Temples continued to adopt the easy-going approach even after bifurcation. Let the government punish those responsible for this mess. There is a separate department for collection of the CGF contributions from the temples. It failed in its duty,” he stated.
And also the most up to date activity by the division was not spontaneous, it was motivated by a caution from the Vigilance division. Vigilance Dept memorandum aids cash-strapped Endowment Dept
The Endowments Department got 22 suggestions from the Vigilance Department prior to a round was released to endowment organizations. .
Speaking to TNM, Endowments Commissioner, M Hari Jawarharlal stated, “The Vigilance Department’s memo warning strict action was preceded by 22 reminders to the Endowments Department regarding pending statutory payments. Initially, the reminders weren’t taken seriously, but when the memo was sent, we also took it seriously. Considering the department’s resource crunch, receiving the arrears now would help fulfill the pending requests for renovation and development. The circular issued says Executive Officers of temples would face disciplinary action if the arrears are not paid.”
“There are several needs and grievances put forward by the Archakas. Though their salaries are paid by the respective temples, the welfare of the Archakas is important to be looked into. We will be able to fulfil these requests for renovation and welfare only if we receive the arrears from the respective temples,” included the Commissioner. .
According to the division, there are a number of holy places in country areas which want assistance from the Endowments Department for pooja products as well as routine active ingredients, for which they require funds from removing financial obligations. BJP declares ruthless perspective in the direction of holy places .
BJP state president Somu Veerraju composed a letter to Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy claiming that the round was damaging to the rate of interests of the Hindu temples as it would certainly paralyze their financial resources. He additionally called the relocation an “act of vengeance” versus holy places.
Speaking to TNM, BJP leader Dinakar Lanka stated, “Temples are being considered as revenue generating assets. Temple money is for temple development. Why is the Endowments Department targeting only temples and not alluding their power on other religious organisations?”
Both Somu Veerraju as well as Dinakar Lanka declared that imams as well as priests were being paid from the government treasury as well as called this discrimination. However, it is not simply imams as well as priests, however additionally archakas in Hindu holy places that are qualified to be paid an amount of Rs 5,000 month-to-month, according to a statement by CM Jagan in April 2020. The BJP’s insurance claims that imams as well as priests are paid the gratuity from the government fund whereas the gratuity for clergymans is paid from the payments accumulated from the holy places. .
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