AP Gov to take over all state Hindu mutts

[Guest guest]

07:29 GMT Saturday 26 Nov 2005 12:59 IST

 

Andhra Pradesh Government to take over all state Hindu mutts

 

In a controversial decision, the Andhra government has decided to

take absolute control of Hindu mutts in the state.

 

 

 

The government is planning to amend the AP Endowments Act to enable

the endowments commissioner to oversee the day-to-day administration

of mutts.Once the act is amended, 181 mutts will come under the

control of the endowments commissioner.The state government is also

thinking of bringing Hindu religious trusts under its absolute

control.

 

 

 

Sources told that the law department had vetted the proposed

amendment. The government will promulgate an ordinance amending the

act after the Winter Session of the Assembly.

 

 

 

Another amendment pertains to scrapping the clause which specifies

that only officials above the age of 45 should be appointed as

endowments commissioner.

 

 

 

This is being done in the wake of the high court nullifying the

appointment of IAS official J.S.V. Prasad as endowments commissioner

since he did not fulfil the age requirement.The proposal to take

over Hindu mutts was pending for the past four years.

 

 

 

Sources said that mutts such as Hathiramji of Tirupati, Raghavendra

of Mantralaya, Byragi of West Godavari and Gavi in Uravakonda in

Anathapur, which have assets worth crores of rupees, would come

under the control of the government.

 

 

 

"Earlier, the government could interfere in the affairs of mutts

under special circumstances such as financial misappropriation,"

said an official. "With the amendment, the government will be able

to oversee the administration on day-to-day basis."

 

Asian Age

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