Hyderabad: Endowments Department appointments gained momentum on Friday as Endowments Minister Konda Surekha handed over appointment orders to 191 newly recruited employees. She described the recruitment as a historic milestone for Telangana’s temple administration.
The appointment ceremony took place at Ravindra Bharathi in Hyderabad.
The recruits include priests, Vedic scholars, attendants, vehicle puja priests, assistant cooks and temple musicians.
The appointments cover 47 temples across Telangana.
Surekha said the recruitment was the first of its kind in the history of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Endowments Department.
She said temple service should not be viewed merely as employment. Instead, it should be treated as a sacred responsibility towards devotees.
Endowments Department appointments fill 191 religious posts
Further, the Minister said the government had strengthened welfare benefits through the Archakas and Other Employees Welfare Fund Trust.
She credited Endowments Department officials for conducting the recruitment transparently.
Additionally, she congratulated the newly appointed employees. She urged them to discharge their duties with dedication and serve devotees with commitment.
Surekha announced that the government would soon issue orders to organise spiritual, religious and Puranic discourses at major temples during special occasions.
Meanwhile, she said the government would introduce performance-based awards for employees across all temple departments.
The Minister also said the government had completed promotions for Grade I and Grade II Executive Officers.
Promotions for Grade III Executive Officers would follow shortly.
Referring to the El Niño-induced drought conditions, Surekha said the department would organise Varuna Yagams in temples across the state.
She said the prayers would seek good rainfall and prosperity.
Surekha said the Endowments Department appointments would strengthen temple administration and improve services for devotees across Telangana.
Principal Secretary Shailaja Ramaiyer, Endowments Director Hanumantha Rao, Religious Advisor Govind Hari, SITA Director Vijaya Raghavacharyulu, senior Endowments Department officials and employee representatives attended the programme.