Latest news with #HinduReligiousandCharitableEndowmentsDepartment
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu government releases revised schedule of rates for the fiscal
The common schedule of rates for all government departments for this fiscal was released on Monday, with an overall increase of nearly 5%. This would help to standardise the cost of infrastructure projects to be implemented in Tamil Nadu. Minister for Public Works E.V. Velu released the schedule, compiled in three volumes, for various departments and government agencies, including Highways, the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. Sources in the PWD said that nearly 183 new items, including UPVC sliding windows and statues, have been added this fiscal. The schedule lists basic rates for various materials and services required for construction projects. The committee tasked with preparing the schedule, comprising the heads of several key departments, had considered various factors, including the market rates and the Wholesale Price Index, to arrive at the revised rates. The new rates would increase the average project estimate by 5%. The rates for M-sand and blue metal have been increased by 18% because of various taxes. Labour charges have also been raised by 7%. For instance, the charges for the mason (brick work) and mazdoor category-I were fixed at ₹1,098 and ₹716 per day respectively during 2024-25. However, cement and steel rates have been reduced by 6% and 0.6% respectively, based on the Wholesale Price Index. Last year's schedule had fixed ₹298 for a bag of cement and ₹56,000 for a metric tonne of steel. The new rates would help the departments prepare better project estimates and complete projects on time, the sources said.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Plea to restore Dhyana Mandapam, keep it open for devotees
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday sought response from authorities to a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to restore Dhyana Mandapam in Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai and keep it open for devotees. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete was hearing the petition filed by V. Karuppu of Madurai. The petitioner said Dhyana Mandapam was designed to facilitate meditation. The Dhyana Mandapam served as a designated space for quiet contemplation, promoting inner peace and fostering a connection with the divine or the universal consciousness. However, the authorities have prevented the devotees and the public from meditating in this hall and started to use it as a store house to keep the wooden logs, iron bars and other temple goods. Now, the meditation hall is in a bad condition and is not being maintained properly, he said. The meditation hall is part and parcel of the temple. To use the meditation hall as a store house and to prevent devotees from meditating was totally against the Vedic principles based on which the temple was designed and constructed. The authorities cannot act against the Vedic principles, he said. The petitioner said he had written to the authorities to restore Dhyana Mandapam to its original position and allow the public to meditate in the hall. However, his efforts had failed, he said and sought a direction to the HR and CE authorities to restore Dhyana Mandapam to its original condition and keep it open for the devotees.
New Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Consecration done at 3,325 temples in Tamil Nadu in last four years: Minister Sekarbabu
ERODE: Under the Dravidian model of governance, temple renovations have been prioritised, and nearly Rs 1,400 crore has been received through sponsors for such renovations, said Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Minister PK Sekarbabu, in Erode on Sunday. Speaking to reporters, he said, 'Kumbabhishekam has been performed in 3,325 temples under the DMK regime. Further, consecration will be conducted in 46 temples, including at the Thiruparankundram temple on Monday. By the end of this year, renovation work will be completed at 3,500 temples and Kumbabhishekam will be performed. Renovations are under way at Palani and Tiruchendur temples, and Rs 54 crore has been allocated to create an alternative route at Tiruttani temple. Steps are also being taken to install elevators at Swamimalai and Marudhamalai.' 'After the DMK came to power, renovations are under way at many temples. More temple renovations are taking place under the DMK government than during the regime of kings. The government is going to erect the tallest Murugan statue, at 186 feet, at the Velayudhaswamy Temple in Thindal of Erode district, and the work will begin soon.' Earlier, Sekarbabu and Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy visited the Velayudhaswamy temple.
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Collector instructs officials to make elaborate arrangements for Adi Amavasai festival at Sundara Mahalingam Temple
Presiding over a meeting held here on Friday to discuss preparations for Adi Amavasai festival at Sundara Mahalingam Temple atop Sathuragiri Hills, Madurai Collector K. J. Praveen Kumar instructed the police to make necessary arrangements for the festival. As lakhs of devotees are expected during the festival to be held from July 19 to 24, he instructed the police officials to set up check posts to ensure that public did not carry inflammables and plastic bags, deploy enough police personnel on the pathway to regulate crowd and leave space for movement of private vehicles and government buses. To control the crowd near the temple, he directed the police to allow devotees through Vellaiparai to reach Sundaramoorthy shrine to offer prayers to Lord Sundara Mahalingam and from there through the new pathway, they should take the right from iron bridge. Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department officials were instructed to install at least 750 electric lamps powered by generators and solar lamps around the temple and on the pathways. Bushes and obstacles along the narrow pathways should be cleared, he said, adding drinking water, toilet and medical facilities should be provided along the hilly trail. Railing should be arranged in the vazhukupparai area to help the devotees climb up. At least, 10 palanquins should be on standby to assist devotees trekking to the hill temple, he added. Marking key gathering locations, more than 100 garbage bins should be placed and while setting up shops, tin roofs should be instead of coconut leaves, he informed. Mr. Praveen Kumar directed officials to make necessary arrangements for health department staff at Sathuragiri, Thanipparai, Vazhaithopu, Kathadimedu, Kuniratti Theertham, Sangilipparai and Iratailingam. Necessary medicines like antidotes and oxygen cylinders with '108' ambulances should be arranged, he further said. Fire and Rescue Services personnel with enough fire tenders should be on standby. The fire service personnel on duty at night should have high-range torch lights, he instructed. Forest Department officials should make arrangements to avoid disturbances to wild animals like grizzled squirrels. They, along with the Fire and Rescue Services Department personnel, should identify locations prone to forest fires and make arrangements to prevent and control them, he added. 'On all days of the festival, traffic police deployed in the area should be on alert to prevent accidents. Black spots, if any, should be identified and barricades placed to control vehicle movement,' he added. Also, CCTV cameras should be installed at a maximum number of locations, he said. Licensed shops on the pathway should be provided with an electricity connection and they should be under the purview of the police. Tangedco should ensure that no electrocutions or misconnections happened during the event, he added. Madurai Superintendent of Police B.K. Arvind, Virudhunagar SP D. Kannan, Madurai District Forest Officer Tarun Kumar and others were present.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Annual Brahmotsavam festival of Sri Parthasarathy temple begins
The annual brahmotsavam festival of the Sri Narasimhar shrine of the Sri Parthasarathy Perumal temple in Triplicane got under way on Thursday morning. The customary flag hoisting ceremony will be held on Friday. During the 10-day festival, the utsava idol of Sri Thelliya Singar (Azhagiya Singar) will be brought out in different alankarams and in different vahanams, including Sri Pallaku Nachiyar at 5.30 a.m. on July 8 and Sri Yoga Narasimhaswamy at 4 p.m. on the same day, and as Sri Lakshminarasimhar at 6.15 a.m. on July 11. The highlight of the festival include the Garuda Sevai to be held at 5.30 a.m. on July 6 and the temple car festival on July 10 at 7 a.m. These programmes are expected to attract a large number of devotees. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department has made arrangements for devotees to have darshan of the deities by arranging drinking water facilities and installing shamianas. Personnel of the police and the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services will be stationed at the venue during the festival to regulate traffic and manage the crowd.
