All pre-poll promises pertaining to Endowments Dept. have been fulfilled, says A.P. Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy

All pre-poll promises pertaining to Endowments Dept. have been fulfilled, says A.P. Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy. The coalition government respects Vedic education and is working with an aim of protecting the Agama Shastra and Hindu Dharma, with special attention on famous temples in the State, he says. We will ensure the devotees do not face any difficulty during the week-long Brahmotsavams commencing from May 8.

The coalition NDA government in Andhra Pradesh has fully implemented the pre-election promises related to the Endowments Department, says Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy.

Speaking at the coordination committee meeting on the annual Brahmotsavams at Penchalakona in SPSR Nellore district on Saturday, Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy said, “As promised, the government has doubled the monthly financial assistance to the archakas from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 for meeting the Dhoopa, Deepa, Naivedyam expenses.”

“Vedic scholars working in temples are being given an honorarium of ₹15,000 per month. Students pursuing Vedic education are being given ₹3,000 per month for three years under ‘Sambhavana’ scheme. Steps have been taken to ensure that Nayi Brahmins in temples get an income of ₹25,000 per month,” the Minister said.

He said orders had been issued to include one Brahmin and one Nayi Brahmin in the temple governing bodies. “The coalition government respects Vedic education, and it is working with an aim of protecting the Agama Shastra and Hindu Dharma with special attention to the famous temples in the State,” the Minister said.

Speaking about the Brahmotsavams from May 8, Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy said, “We will ensure that the devotees do not face any difficulty during the week-long festival. Unlike in the past, Garuda Seva and Kalyanotsavam will be held during the Brahmotsavams. We have initiated distribution of free laddu prasadam to the devotees.”

In view of summer, the officials were instructed to provide water bottles, buttermilk, and milk biscuits to the infants in the queues. For security reasons, the police were advised to set up CCTV cameras, a head count machine, and a command control centre that would operate 24 hours a day, he said.

Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy advised the Venkatagiri municipal officials to keep water tanks available at the temple. He instructed the Electricity Department officials to be vigilant to ensure that there was no power outage during the Brahmotsavams. The Health Department would organise medical camps. It would also give ORS packets and medicines. Ambulances and fire engines would be kept ready, he said.