Amravati: Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy on September 27 called for a shift to online payments in temples across the state with an aim at reducing corruption at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD).
On Monday Jagan Mohan Reddy ordered officials to ensure there is no room for corruption with regards to the administration of temples, especially emphasizing on the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD).
He was of the view that shifting to the online mode of payment would bring transparency in temples across the state. In a press release from the chief minister’s office, Jagan Mohan Reddy further stated that donors can contribute to any of the temples online and added to display boards with details of methods and procedures of online system.
The AP chief minister also ordered officials to ensure that donations are used for the development of temples and not diverted for other causes. He said the system in other temples should be similar to that of TTD.
As the YSR Congress chief took stock of the Endowment departments at the camp office, he said “For the first time, the state government has been spending nearly Rs 70 crore for development works at Kanaka Durga temple”. Jagan also instructed t officials to focus on quality of accommodation and prasadam at temples, calling for uniform process of making prasadam laddus across temples statewide.
The chief minister called for expedition of committee formation at all temples , which could ensure smooth and transparent administration in the future. With regards to of transparency in administration officials were asked to develop master plans for all temples including the ones in Srisailam .
There are plans to promote awareness among temple authorities regarding online methods of booking and payments, along with geo tags for temple lands to protect them from encroachment, the statement from his office said.
The YSRCP supremo also said that the AP government has installed over 47,000 CCTV cameras in about 18,000 temples for security and instructed the officials to install CCTVs at all temples. He instructed the officials to appoint an SP level officer for vigilance and security in the Endowments Department.
Further Jagan Mohan Reddy said that his government has quashed retirement of hereditary priests and it will be implemented to the rest as well and added that the salaries of the priests were also increased.