The Hindu : Kumbabishekam for 1008 temples this year

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 23, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Kumbabishekam for 1008 temples this year

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai April 22. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, announced mass marriage for 1,008 poor couples yesterday. Today, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Emdowments Minister, P. C. Ramasamy, declared in the Assembly that kumbabishekam would be performed in 1,008 temples this year.

Besides, nine temple cars would be repaired at a cost of Rs. 1.42 crores for conducting festivals, he said in his reply to the debate on grants for the HR and CE department.

Listing the announcements for this fiscal, the Minister said the Government would give a 4-gm gold mangalsutra to each of the poor couples during the mass marriage.

Till now, only a 2-gm gold mangalsutra was being given.

For the ``Mahamakam'' at Kumbakonam, scheduled for February next, the Government allotted Rs. 1 crore for improving facilities.

``E-archana''

In major temples, the devotees could offer e-archana, making payments for poojas through the Internet.

The Government would provide Rs. 25,000 for renovation of 250 temples located in Adi Dravidars and tribal colonies.

Protection committees would be set up in Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Kumbakonam and Cuddalore to preserve metal idols of deities in various shrines in the five districts.

Annadhanam at dargahs

The ``Annadhanam'' scheme to benefit Muslim devotees would be extended to 12 dargahs this year, the Backward Classes and Minorities welfare Minister, A. Pappasundaram, announced.

Replying to the debate on demands for his departments, he said the scheme, launched by the Chief Minister at a dargah on Anna Salai here, would be implemented in 12 more dargahs with donations from wealthy devotees and philanthropists.

As part of a special package for repairing mosques and dargahs, the Government would provide Rs. 40 lakhs to the Wakf Board.

SC hostels

The Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister, S. Karuppusamy, in his reply to the debate on his department, announced that another 1,000 students would be admitted to SC hostels this year.

And, all 1076 hostels would be provided with a Tamil daily, in addition to one English daily and one Tamil daily given now.

The Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing Development Corporation would help 3000 SC women and 500 tribal women buy cultivable land with a 50 per cent subsidy and a 50 per cent term loan from the Special Central Assistance Fund. Also, 3000 SCs and 500 tribals would get irrigation facility.

With full funding from the Centre, a comprehensive infrastructure mapping would be undertaken in SC and tribal habitations.

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Kumbabishekam for 1008 temples this year