Karnataka government to directly pay salaries of temple employees

Temple employees were compensated from temple funds, leading to a fund crunch at many temples.
| Photo Credit: SRIRAM MA

In a significant move, the Karnataka Muzrai Department has announced that salaries of temple employees in the state will now be paid directly by the government. Previously, these employees were compensated from temple funds, leading to a fund crunch at many temples. Now with this move, all government-appointed staff in notified temples will receive their pay from the government like other government employees.

The Under Secretary to the Government, Revenue Department (Religious Endowments), recently issued an order stating that the Finance Department has approved the payment of salaries and allowances for 131 government officers and employees serving in the notified institutions of the Religious Endowments Department. These payments will now come from the state government’s consolidated fund.

Speaking to The Hindu, Transport and Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that temple employees were previously paid from temple funds, resulting in disparities in salaries and also leading to loss to the temple revenue. “Earlier, these employees were paid from the temple funds. However, since they are government employees, we have decided that the government alone will pay their salaries. To ensure uniform and fair compensation, we decided to provide them salaries from the government. For the first time in the history of the Muzrai Department, temples under Category A and B will save between ₹2 crore and ₹3 crore every month,” he said.

 Long-standing demand

Welcoming the decision, Karnataka State Muzrai Temples Archakas, Agamikas and Employees Association president Srivatsa called it a long-pending demand. “In 2020, we highlighted that, as per legal provisions, salaries and other benefits for executive officers and government employees of A and B category temples should not be paid from temple funds but must come from the government’s consolidated fund. However, due to the negligence of previous officials, crores of rupees were misused over the years,” he said.

The association had submitted a petition in 2020 to the then Chief Minister, the Muzrai Minister, the Chief Secretary, the Principal Secretary of the Finance Department, and the Principal Secretary of the Muzrai Department. Following this, the Finance Department has now issued an order ensuring that 131 officers and staff will receive their salaries and other benefits directly from the government, he added.

Karnataka has 205 ‘A’ category temples, 195 ‘B’ category temples, and 34,151 ‘C’ category temples. However, this government order will only benefit employees working in A and B category temples, as no government-appointed employees serve in C category temples.