Tamil Nadu government to revive Jayalalithaa's favourite elephant camp

CHENNAI: The TVK government has announced a renewed elephant rejuvenation camp at Thekkampatti on the banks of the Bhavani River, reviving the effort first launched by AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa during her tenure as CM.

The camp, intended to provide care and rejuvenation for elephants belonging to temples and mutts, will be conducted with an allocation of Rs 3 crore from the government, the HR&CE Minister S Ramesh announced in the Assembly.

The minister also announced that the department will constitute a Temple Employees Recruitment Board to fill vacancies in temples and educational institutions it runs, bringing recruitment under a dedicated mechanism to ensure transparency and select eligible candidates through direct appointments.

Replying to the debate over demands for grants for the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, the minister said the board would conduct recruitment in accordance with the prescribed rules and ensure that eligible candidates are selected through a transparent process. The move is among a series of measures announced by the department to strengthen temple administration and improve the welfare of its employees.

The government has also proposed improving service benefits for temple employees. The maximum encashment of earned leave at retirement will be increased from 210 to 240 days, while maternity leave will be extended from nine to 12 months. Marriage assistance will also be enhanced substantially, with eligible senior temple employees receiving Rs 2 lakh and other temple employees Rs 1 lakh.

Children of temple employees will receive priority for admission to temple-run colleges, along with a 50 per cent concession on tuition fees, according to the announcements.

Alongside administrative measures, the government plans to expand its cultural and religious outreach.

Special worship and a public feast will be held annually at major temples on July 15, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister K Kamaraj.

Special Alwar and Siddhar festivals will be organised to promote Tamil and Vaishnavite traditions and commemorate the contributions of Siddhars to philosophy, medicine, yoga, science and spirituality. Annual village deity art festivals will also be held in every mandal, featuring folk arts, traditional performances and plays.

'Arulalar' festivals will honour Appar and Pattinathar through lectures and cultural programmes, further broadening the department's focus beyond temple administration to the preservation and promotion of Tamil spiritual heritage.