As Kumbakonam gets ready for the celebration of the next ‘Mahamaham’, between February 13 and 22, 2016 (the festival recurs once in 12 years), the Tamil Nadu government has decided to renovate 69 of the 86 temples in the town, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa told the Assembly on Tuesday.
Seventeen were in good condition, and the rest would be renovated at a cost of Rs. 12 crore, she said.
The Chief Minister also announced a Rs.1.42-crore project to restore the paintings in the tower of the Naarumpoonathaswamy temple at Thirupudaimarudhur in Tirunelveli district.
Besides extending the ‘annadhanam’ scheme to 106 temples at a cost of Rs. 3.87 crore this year, the government would help to organise ‘kumbabishekams’ in 1,006 temples. A sum of Rs. 6 crore would be set aside. Further, ‘Annadhanam’ halls with kitchens would be constructed in 16 more temples.
Ms. Jayalalithaa said the services of all 820 cooks, cooking assistants and sweepers employed under the ‘annadhanam’ scheme in temples for daily wages and on a consolidated pay would be regularised, based on their qualification and conduct. The decision would cost the government an additional Rs. 7.89 crore a year.
The Chief Minister announced that 68 ancient heritage temples would be restored at a cost of Rs. 22.50 crore. Already, 186 ancient heritage temples had been restored in the last three years.
Lodging facilitiesThe Arunachaleswarar temple at Tiruvannamalai and the Ramanathaswamy temple at Rameswaram would get lodging facilities at a cost of Rs. 25 crore each. The lodges could accommodate 500 pilgrims each.
The Chief Minister said 1,006 temples in Adi Dravidar settlements, but not under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, would be renovated. Each would be allotted Rs. 50,000, and the total allocation would be Rs. 5.03 crore.
Similarly, 1,006 small temples under the control of the HR&CE Department would be renovated at a cost of Rs. 5.03 crore. Moreover, 10,000 temples would get puja implements at a cost of Rs. 2.50 crore.
The Chief Minister announced the regularisation of the salary of 869 temple employees in Kanyakumari district and filling of 154 vacancies. The services of 8,184 temple employees in other parts of the State would also be regularised.
