Only 1,400 of 5,600 Archaka's to get first-time pay

Hyderabad: Just a little over 1,400 archakas and temple staff will be able to draw their first-time salaries on December 1 after the State government decided to provide monthly wages to them. The government has, in fact, given administrative sanction for Rs 37.50 crore for paying salaries to not less than 5,600 persons who include archakas and temple employees.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had directed the officials to pay salaries to the temple archakas and temple staff through treasury on the lines of government employees. It was decided to provide benefit to not less than 5,600 persons, who include archakas and the staff like clerks, parichalakulu, cooks, sweepers etc. It is, however, learnt that only a few would be paid salaries through treasury on Friday.

According to sources, the Endowments Department found that only 1,400 persons were eligible to get monthly salaries. Those eligible for monthly salaries include 300 to 400 archakas, the sources said. The Endowments department dropped the rest because their appointments were not made in accordance with the rules, said a senior official on condition of anonymity.

It may be recalled that the State government issued GO 661 on November 3 giving sanctions for providing salaries. The Telangana Archaka Samakhya President Gangu Bhanumurthy, talking to Hans India, thanked the Chief Minister for providing salaries to the Archakas and other temple staff. He said that it would be historical day for the temple priests in Telangana State. He, however, said that there was no clarity on the number of beneficiaries.

He expressed the hope that all archakas would secure the benefit. Meanwhile, the Endowments Minister A Indra Karan Reddy would distribute cheques to some of the archakas and other staff at the Endowments Commissioner’s office on Friday. In a press release issued here, the Endowments Minister said the salaries of archakas and temple staff would be increased from December.