Temple land transfer to completed in a year: Muzrai Minister

Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy told the Legislative Council that the process of transferring land belonging to temples across Karnataka in the name of the respective temples will be completed in one year.

To a question from Congress member K. Abdul Jabbar, Mr. Reddy said that 35,000 to 36,000 acres belong to about 34,000 temples in the State, of which 15,413 acres had been transferred to the name of the respective temples. In the next one year, the ownership of land will be transferred to the remaining 20,000 acres. Till 2022, just about 3,915 acres had been transferred to the respective temples. Earlier, the temple land was held in the name of the government.

He also acknowledged that the Muzrai land had been encroached upon at several places and survey work is being undertaken to identify the encroachment.

Committee to be set up

Responding to BJP member K. Pratapsimha Nayak, who demanded equal pay for equal work for temple employees, Mr. Reddy said a committee headed by a retired judge would be set up to study pay disparity. 

Acknowledging the pay disparities of employees hired on daily wage and voucher basis and those paid through consolidated funds, the Minister said the committee will be entrusted with the task of checking whether such employees are eligible for government-scale salaries. Also, the financial burden on the exchequer due to the payment of salaries will be calculated, he said, adding that a decision will be taken based the committee’s report.