Panel formed on fixing pay scale for temple staff

Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim directed officials concerned to form a committee on the management of Muzrai temples and to submit a report to the district-level committee, to fix a uniform pay scale to the staff at ‘A’ category Muzrai temple.

Chairing a meeting in this regard, he said the subcommittee should include Assistant Commissioner and the executive officers of the respective temples. The report should be submitted before June 15.
The hereditary priests and other staff at the temple should file a declaration through the concerned authority on whether their duties in the temple are hereditary or something else.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Sadashiv Prabhu said as per Karnataka Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act 1997, the government has formed a committee to check into whether the temple staff are eligible for salaries by the government.  Also, the financial burden on the exchequer due to the payment of salaries will also be calculated by the four-member committee headed by the DC. A report will also be submitted to the government later.
Meanwhile, the DC directed the officials to mention the nature of the staff, based on the hierarchy of the temples.

Muzrai department Assistant Commissioner Prabhakar said a total of 491 temple come under the department and there are 24 ‘A’ category temples, 34 ‘B’ category temples, 433 ‘C’ category temples. As many as 964, 2,000 and 860 staff are working at these temples respectively.

The DC said there are provisions to spend 35 per cent of the total income of the temple towards the salary of employees, as per government orders. However, no temple in the district has been spending to this extent An income of Rs 77,60,64,775 has been generated at Kukke Subrahmanya Temple during the year 2014-15 and 8.49 percent i.e., Rs 6,58,94,567 has been spent towards the salary of employees, he said. Executive Officers of ‘A’ category temples were present among others.