HYDERABAD, June 9, 2015 ( Deccan Chronicle): Priests and temple staff called off their three-day-old strike after the government agreed to increase their salaries. The government will hike the grant to each temple from Rs 2,500 per month to Rs 6,000, of which Rs 4,500 would be paid to priests and Rs 1,500 to conduct basic rituals.
Endowments minister A. Indrakaran Reddy briefed Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao about the priests’ demands, following which he agreed to an immediate increase in the salaries. Mr Rao also agreed to give a special Telangana increment to priests. Mr G. Bhanumurthy, leader of the priests joint action committee, said he was confident the CM would approve paying salaries from the treasury after the committee submits its report.