HR & CE to distribute Covid-19 relief kits to 14000 priests and temple staffs: Tamil Nadu minister

CHENNAI: Minister PK Sekar Babu said that the department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) will extend Covid-19 relief kits to 14000 temple priests, Battachariyas and staff, who did not get their monthly salary. Rs 4000 and 10 kgs of rice and groceries will be distributed to the beneficiaries.
As many as 34,000 temples under the control of HR & CE department generated less than Rs 10,000 as their annual revenue.
In 12,959 temples, the priests and Bhattacharyas usually do not receive their monthly salary and rely on the offerings made by the devotees, the minister for HR & CE PK Sekar Babu said.
Due to the lockdown, they were left with no income.
Following representations from the group seeking assistance from the government, the HR&CE decided to provide the relied based on directions from chief minister M K Stalin.
The minister issued an order to distribute Rs 4,000 along with relief kits containing 10 kg of rice and 15 grocery materials.
“Nearly 14,000 priests, Battacharyars, and temple staff will benefit from this. The relief assistance will be extended on former CM M Karunanidhi’s birth anniversary (on June 3),” the minister said.