KCR hikes honorarium to Telangana priests to Rs 10,000

HYDERABAD: Ahead of Telangana elections, Chief Minister Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) has increased the honorarium of priests from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 under the Dhupa Deepa Naivedyam scheme.

Endowments Minister Indrakarana Reddy thanked KCR for the announcement on Tuesday. “There was a time when the priests received only Rs 2,500 as an honorary salary. The Chief Minister recognised their difficulties and decided to enhance their honorarium,” he said.

Indrakaran Reddy added that the Dhoopa Deepa Naivedya scheme, which was being implemented in 1,805 temples has now been expanded to 6,541 temples across the State in a phased manner. An annual budget of Rs 78.49 crore was allocated for the scheme, the minister said.