The Karnataka State Muzrai Temple Archakara and Noukarara Association has alleged pay disparity among the personnel appointed to the temples across the State.
Srivatsa, the State president of the Association said on Wednesday that while archakas, sweepers and bill collectors serving in the temples for long years were getting a salary of Rs 400 to Rs 4,000 a month, those appointed recently were getting salary in the range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000, a month.
“Consequently, the Department has been unable to pay salary to a majority of priests and other officials across 1,200 temples in the State. The government should frame a uniform salary structure for all the staff,” he said. He charged the government and Muzrai Department with favouring the first and second division clerks who have cleared the examinations conducted by the Department. The Association further demanded the Department to scrap the committees ‘primarily consisting of people with political background’ for ‘C’ grade temples.
The department has classified the temples in the State as ‘A’ grade (with income above Rs 50 lakh), ‘B’ Grade (with income between Rs five lakh to Rs 50 lakh) and ‘C’ Grade (with income less than Rs five lakh).
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