Special pooja at all govt controlled temples in K'taka on Vijayadashami against COVID-19: Minister
Bengaluru, Oct 12: A special pooja will be offered at all temples in Karnataka that come under the Muzrai department on Vijayadashami, against the spread of COVID-19 and for the control of a possible third wave, Minister for Muzrai, Haj & Wakf, Shashikala Jolle said here on Tuesday.
Vijayadashami, the last day of the ongoing Dasara festivities, will be celebrated on October 15.
"As we celebrate the victory of good over evil on Vijayadashami, it has been decided to pray to goddess Chamundeshwari on behalf of the department, for the safety of our people from COVID-19 and its ill effects, end of the pandemic, and for control of the the possible third wave, which according to experts is likely to affect children the most," Jolle said.
Speaking to reporters here, she said for the good health and prosperity of the people of the state, especially the children, on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, a special pooja will be organised at Muzrai temples across the state.
"Karnataka Rajya Dharmika Parishat will be issuing guidelines to all the temples under the endowment department, regarding the special pooja to be offered," she added.
A total of 34,563 temples in the state come under the department that have been categorized as grade A, B and C, based on their revenue generation.
A total of 207 temples with annual revenue above Rs 25 lakh come under category A, 139 temples between Rs five lakh to Rs 25 lakh come under category B, and 34,217 temples with less than Rs 5 lakh annual revenue under category C.
Jolle said it has been decided to implement salary as per the sixth pay commission to select Muzrai temple priests and staff, who are currently drawing salary as per the fifth commission.
Noting that currently 1,034 priests and staff are currently getting salary under the fifth pay commission, she said that implementation of the sixth pay commission will not have extra financial burden on the government, as up to 35 per cent of the revenue from the A and B category temples will be utilised for this purpose.
"The new salary implementation is only for those A and B category temples, whose revenue generation is good and where fifth pay commission is already implemented. It is not for C grade temples, whose financial condition is not good and needs improvement.....what needs to be done to improve conditions at C category temples is being worked out, also staff there, are mostly not permanent," she added.
There are about 3,918 staff and 31,701 priests working at temples under the Muzarai department.
Among priests 2,000 come under grade A , 800 under B and 28,901 under C category.
Also an insurance programme is being introduced for priests and employees working at Muzrai temples, Jolle said, as the first step the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana will be extended to them by filing an annual premium of Rs 330, which may cost Rs 1.22 crore to the government, and the Chief Minister has agreed to it.
Further, health and life/accident insurance for the Muzrai priests/staff and their family members is being worked out, she said, adding that the department has sought quotations from insurance companies and banks and it will be finalised. "This will be applicable to staff and priests of all A, B and C category temples."
The Minister further said that the department has decided to come out with an Integrated Temple Management System (ITMS), aimed at providing all details about temples, sevas offered there and its rate chart, for the sake of devotees and tourists, also it will help in maintaining transparency.
In the first phase 207 temples coming under category A will be brought under the ITMS with a hope to launch it by November, she said, 139 B category temples will be considered in the second phase.
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Minister Sivankutty welcomes PM Modi to 'developed Nemom', BJP hits back
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow here for April 9 Assembly elections, Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty and BJP state leadership on Saturday locked horns on social media over development issues.
Sivankutty, LDF candidate from Nemom, in a Facebook post welcomed Modi for the roadshow in the constituency later in the day and highlighted a series of development projects.
The BJP state unit took a swipe at the minister through another Facebook post sarcastically questioning his claims.
In the FB post, Sivankutty said he was happy that the Prime Minister would conduct a roadshow from Killipalam junction towards Pappanamcode, as it would provide an opportunity to witness the development initiatives carried out in Nemom.
The senior CPI(M) leader is also the sitting MLA in Nemom, one of the constituencies where BJP pins its hopes the most in the upcoming Assembly polls.
The minister invited PM Modi to witness what he described as a "developed Nemom".
He listed several projects along the proposed route of the PM's scheduled roadshow, including a newly established ITI at Chala built at a cost of Rs 18 crore and the state office of SSK, which he said was constructed by the Kerala government after alleged denial of central assistance.
The minister further pointed to infrastructure such as the Deputy Director of Education's office complex, and a new building for Chala school constructed at a cost of Rs 4.8 crore.
He also highlighted road development and beautification works from Karamana junction to Pravachambalam, undertaken at a cost of Rs 5 crore, along with new street lighting installations.
Sivankutty said additional projects included multi-storey school buildings at various institutions, road upgradation works, and a career development centre built at a cost of Rs 6 crore.
While welcoming the Prime Minister, Sivankutty also urged him to explain the delay in disbursing Rs 1,500 crore allegedly due to Kerala under the SSK scheme, stating that the funds are meant for supporting children from economically weaker and marginalised sections.
He further claimed that salaries of around 7,000 teaching and non-teaching staff under the scheme are currently being paid by the state government.
In its social media post, the BJP's state leadership responded sarcastically to Sivankutty's claims of development by listing a series of prominent landmarks in and around Thiruvananthapuram, suggesting that the PM could see them by simply turning in different directions.
"Turn a little to the right and you can see the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. Go straight from there and you will see the Vizhinjam seaport. Turn left and you can see the Thumba rocket launch centre. From there, if you go straight, you will reach Thiruvananthapuram railway station. Turn right and you will see the Padmanabhaswamy temple," it said.
"Go straight and you will reach Kovalam international beach. And if you look up from there, you can see the sky," the post said in Malayalam.
