Rs 1,692 cr worth temple properties retrieved in 1 yr: Sekar Babu
The book contains detailed accounting for temple properties from agricultural land to commercial complexes that were retrieved from the encroachers between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.
P K Sekar Babu (File photo)
CHENNAI: Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) P K Sekar Babu on Friday released the second edition of the book on retrieved temple properties to the tune of Rs 1,692 crore. The book contains detailed accounting for temple properties from agricultural land to commercial complexes that were retrieved from the encroachers between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.
The objective of coming up with such books is to preserve documents and evidence of the temple properties to prevent them from being encroached upon in the future. It would also come handy for the department to maintain the properties and put them to best effect for the development of the temples, according to officials.
The book contains details regarding 330 temples and their properties. It incorporated details of 806.63 acres of land belonging to 143 temples. The vast tract of land in different parts of the state were transferred by miscreants by creating forgery documents. It has been identified and reverted to the respective temples after obtaining patta. The same has been updated in the system.
Similarly, records pertaining to 1,434.43 acres of land of 180 temples have been corrected and uploaded in the system. Apart from this, the book contains details of the 74,514.48 acres of temple lands surveyed using the differentiated global positioning system during the period. The data along with photographs of the exercise included in the book, according to a statement from the department.
The first edition of the book was published on May 17, 2022. It contained information regarding 167 temples’ properties worth Rs 2,566.94 crore. They were recovered from May 7, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
All put together, the department has retrieved temple properties worth Rs 5,171 crore since May 7, 2021 (under the present government), added the release.
Principal secretary of tourism, culture and HR & CE K Manivasan, Officer on special duty (HR & CE) J Kumaragurubaran, Commissioner of the department K V Muralidharan have also participated in the book release programme.