Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Sep 24: Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister, Krishna J Palemar, who was given additional responsibility of muzrai department by Chief Minister, B S Yeddyurappa, during the cabinet expansion-cum-reshuffle on Wednesday, said that his first priority would be to improve basic facilities at temples across the state.
On his first visit to the city on Thursday September 23 after taking charge of muzrai and endowments department, Paemar told the reporters that out of 38,000 temples spread over the state, bigger temples have good revenues, whereas smaller temples do not have enough means. He said he plans to improve basic infrastructure for the visiting devotees in all the temples, by pooling resources from richer temples and government grants. He said he plans to work in a different way as compared to his predecessors in the department.
“I know that leakage of income is occurring in some temples. There are temples where proper drinking water facility is also not present. As the government has been giving enough grants for the development of temples, I will streamline the development plans of these temples,” he explained. He also said that environment and muzrai department compliment each other, and that the new department will enable him to achieve better efficiency in the ministry of environment.
Palemar revealed that the state government has already sanctioned a sum of Rs 7.29 crore for developing the link connecting the city airport through Deccan Park into a two-lane road.
Palemar is scheduled to visit Subrahmanya temple today morning, and inspect ongoing development works there.