CHENNAI: In a major restructuring of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, the Tamil Nadu government has divided its administrative jurisdiction into North and South zones and vested two IAS-rank Additional Commissioners with wide-ranging supervisory powers over temple properties, finances, leases, encroachments and administration.
The restructuring was notified through a Gazette published on Monday, following a Government Order issued by the Commercial Taxes, Registration and Religious Endowments Department on July 23. The two Additional Commissioner posts, headquartered in Chennai and Tiruchy, have been sanctioned in the senior scale of the IAS.
The revamp comes amid scrutiny over the management of religious and inam properties, following the recent Palani mutt land registration case and the controversy surrounding restrictions imposed on inam lands, including in Karur district.
Under the new arrangement, the Chennai-based Additional Commissioner will oversee the North Zone, comprising Chennai and several northern and western districts, including Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Salem, Erode and Coimbatore. The Tiruchy-based officer will administer the South Zone, which includes Thanjavur, Madurai, Sivaganga, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi.
The officers have been empowered to inspect temple properties and documents, approve budgets, procurement tenders and certain property leases, and supervise other administrative functions. They will also monitor revenue from temple lands, collection of contributions and audit fees, pending cases, implementation of the Integrated Temple Management System and removal of encroachments.
Orders passed by the Additional Commissioners within their delegated subjects will be deemed orders of the HR&CE Commissioner. However, policy decisions and matters having implications for religious institutions across Tamil Nadu must be referred to the Commissioner.