Min directs officials to develop and beautify temples in TG

Konda Surekha, Minister of Forests, Environment and Endowments, has directed the officials to develop the temples in Telangana so as to enhance the spiritual beauty and provide mental comfort to the devotees, during a long review meeting conducted at the office of the Revenue Department in Boggikunta, Hyderabad on Tuesday.  
The officials of the Endowments department were advised to take up the management of such temples with an inner sanctification. She directed the authorities to take measures to seize the encroached temple lands and also directed them to take strict measures to resolve the temple land disputes and appoint competent legal experts for speedy resolution.
She said that temples are not just physical structures, they are wealth that impart values, beliefs and cultural traditions to the future generations. The officials of the
While the officials explained that geo-tagging has already been done for 15,000 acres of land in order to prevent encroachment of temple lands, the Minister advised the officials to complete the geo-tagging work of all types of land belonging to the department as soon as possible. She enquired about the leased temple lands, the details of the leased shops in the temple lands and the income generated by them. The officials were advised to collect the dues as soon as possible.
In addition to taking steps to register the details of the lands of the Endowments department in Dharani portal, the officials were advised to take steps to issue passbooks in the name of the respective temples. It was suggested that plans should be made in this direction to protect the temple lands by taking up function halls and other utility structures in the temple lands and generate income for the department.
Keeping in view the Bonalu festival to be held across Telangana in the month of Ashada, Minister Surekha directed the authorities to take up the construction of infrastructure in time in the areas where the Bonalu festivals take place.
The Minister advised the officials to look into the matter of taking up programmes to increase the spiritual beauty of temples like Jalharati and Sankhanadam in the river banks.