HYDERABAD, INDIA, August 19, 2015 (Deccan Chronicle): The AP endowments department on Tuesday said that Hindu temples and their properties are not government assets. Revenue department principal secretary J.S.V. Prasad said temples were never constructed by the government with taxpayers’ money. They were built by Hindu philanthropists, mutts, peetams and zamindars since ancient times.
“The government is only acting as a sacred trustee of temple property and has brought the Endowment Act permitting itself to administer temples,” Mr Prasad said. Mr Prasad was reacting to several cases brought to the notice of the government where departments are undertaking programs and projects are taking over temple land and have not paid compensation to the temples after a delay of several years.
He directed all land acquisition officers to pay full compensation for land taken over from temples for irrigation projects in the state. “Some land acquisition officers, as also district collectors and heads of departments are under the mistaken notion that temples properties are government properties and as a consequence they need not pay any compensation to Hindu temples,” he said.
HPI note: In general, the temple properties are held in the name of the presiding Deity, who is a legal entity for this purpose.