THE GREAT TEMPLE RUN

Even as the M.K. Stalin government takes stock of available and encroached temple land in order to recover or monetise the assets, it is planning other far-reaching reforms, such as appointing women as priests in temples. Though the DMK claims to be a party of agnostics, the government is taking keen interest in the management of Hindu temples. Appointing women as priests is an initiative to empower them.

More changes are on the cards. Temple land in the state has been leased out on low rentals. The Hindu religious & charitable endowments (HR&CE) department has published title documents related to over 350,000 acres of temple land on its website. The process of retrieving the balance temple land is underway. A massive drive has been launched to identify temple properties in urban areas, evict encroachers and fence the premises. This will be followed by a differential GPS survey in order to digitise every inch of temple property and upload it on the official website.

Observers point out that the HR&CE department itself needs overhaul as its inefficiency has put cultural heritage at risk. Idols have been stolen and at least 6,414 of the 40,000-odd temples in the state are damaged. The department does not have any inventory on the idols, its jewels and other assets. The Madras High Court recently directed the department to streamline the generation and use of funds, and prevent idol thefts.

The department administers over 38,000 temples, of which more than 34,000 have an annual income of less than Rs 10,000. They are dependent on the state. Stalin has promised to provide Rs 1,000 crore for temple renovation.