The State government on Friday announced welfare measures to benefit over 34,000 archakas working in ‘C’ category temples across the State, including insurance and education grants to the family members.
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“We have decided to provide annual education grants from ₹5,000 to ₹50,000, depending on the courses that the children of archakas working in ‘B’ and ‘C’ category temples. A one-time grant of ₹1 lakh will be given to those pursuing education abroad,” Transport and Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy told presspersons here after chairing the first meeting of the newly formed Karnataka State Dharmika Parishath. Besides providing identity cards, Ayushman Bharath cards would be given to all the archakas and employees working in temples coming under the Muzrai Department, he added.
The announcement comes amid the demand by archakas to increase the annual tastik amount given to ‘C’ category temples from the current ₹60,000 to ₹1.2 lakh annually and an honorarium of ₹10,000 a month to archakas in ‘C’ category temples. Mr. Reddy, however, said that since it involved cost, the decision had to be made by the Chief Minister.
Further, the Minister said that 1,200 archakas from ‘B’ and ‘C’ category temples would be sent to Kashi and Gaya trip annually. “The parishath also decided to send a proposal to the Energy Department to supply power free of cost to the ‘C’ category temples. The family of archakas and employees working in the notified temple would also receive a compensation of ₹2 lakh in case of death of archakas/employees.”
The Minister also said that feeding rooms were being established in all the major temples, and the parishath on Friday approved setting up of a call centre to assist in reservation of rooms, booking for seva, and information on darshan timings, among others.