Endowments Department: Govt mulls increasing retirement age of staff to 62 yrs

VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Endowments Kottu Satyanarayana said that the State government has been planning to increase the retirement age of employees working in various temples to 62 years. Speaking to mediapersons at the secretariat at Velagapudi on Tuesday, the Minister said that the wages of 2,625 Archakas working in various temples across the State were increased as per the assurance given by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He said the wages of Archakas were increased from Rs 5,000 to 10,000 and to those who are getting a wage of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,650. The Minister said that guidelines will be issued soon to fill the engineering and electrical posts in Endowments department. The State government brought about amendment to Section-83 of the Endowments Act to protect endowments properties. He said to those who encroached the endowments lands will be sentenced for 8 years imprisonment.