Rs 2,500 additional dole announced for temple staff

“Temple employees such as all types of priests, persons involved in tonsuring head and piercing ears, and musicians attached to temples, who receive only a part of people’s contribution, would be given Rs 1,500 for the period from May 16 to June 30 and Rs 1,000 from July 1 to July 31,” said HR&CE Department secretary K Phanindhra Reddy in an order issued to the subordinate officials.

When the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic was imposed from March 25, the State government had announced Rs 1,000 for temple employees till April 15. Another tranche of Rs 1,000 was announced for the period from April 16 to May 15.

Phanindra Reddy said that if the concerned temples were not able to pay the relief, they may borrow money from the nearby bigger temples and can hand over the amount to concerned Assistant Commissioners of HR & CE.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami inaugurated a marriage hall constructed at the land belonging to Marundeeswarar temple in Tiruvanmiyur, through video conferencing on Sunday. The hall spread across 84,592 square feet was constructed at a cost of Rs 20.1 crore. The CM also inaugurated ‘Annadhanam’ hall in Cuddalore, Tiruvallur and Virudhunagar districts.