About 23% of total endowment land in Telangana was encroached. The total endowment land in the State was 87,235 acres.
This was declared by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India while referring to the management of endowment assets in the year 2017-18.
Absence of a proper mechanism to protect temple land increased the risk of encroachments with attendant risk of increasing land disputes. Out of 20,124 acres of land encroached, the Assistant Commissioners of endowments department filed cases with Endowments Tribunals to an extent of only 3,488 acres.
In a sample of eight out of 19 temples, pattadar passbooks were not available for 3,861 acres, representing 48.41% of endowment land in their possession. The passbooks were not obtained by the Commissioner for 59,898 acres out of the total 87,235 acres.
Physical possession of about 10 acres of land donated in 1948 and 1983 was not taken by the department. In ten out of 14 temples of a category, accumulated gold of 91.87 kg was not deposited in Gold Deposit Bond Scheme by executive officers of temples concerned.
Discussing the role of Chief Commissioner of Land Administration in the management of government land, the report said government assigned land measuring 12,666 acres with a market value of ₹ 1,096 crore was under unauthorised occupation of third parties in 24 mandals of eight test checked districts.
It was also said that the State government did not resume leased land in Secunderabad area though lessees did not apply for renewal of expired lease in respect of 1.67 lakh sq yds valued at ₹ 708 crore. In two cases, land measuring 35 acres was alienated to two private institutions at lower rates than prescribed, conferring undue benefit of ₹ 117 crore which was a loss of revenue to the government.
On other compliance audit observations, the CAG said companies secured credit facilities from various financial institutions by creating charge on pari passu basis on their properties. Pari passu referred to rights in the property created in favour of lenders ranking equal without any preference or priority for any lender over the others when an immovable property of a borrower was made as security to multiple lenders.
An interest of ₹ 15 crore and penalty of ₹ 36 crore was not levied by assessing authorities of 44 government offices though dealers in 364 cases had paid tax with delays ranging from one day to 1,165 days beyond the admissible period.
