New Kerala temple governing body formed

Kozhikode, Oct 2 (UNI) Malabar Dewaswom Board (MDB) today came into being with the swearing-in of a nine-member committee, including President K Gopalakrishan at a function here.

The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Devasom Commissioner P Raghavan.

The other members of the committee were A K Balan, V Krishnan, K K Kodoth, E Sankaran, P P Chandran, M Sankaran, P Vijayalakshmi and Padmaja Bharatan.

With this, as many as 1,600 temples in the Malabar region of Kerala, hitherto administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department (HRCED), will be governed by the MDB.

The MDB was set up by the State government under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2008.

on September 9 on the Kerala High Court order to ensure an equal pay package to temple employees of the region the same work they did as their counterparts in temples under Travancore and Cochin Devaswom Boards.

Speaking at the function, Dewaswom and Cooperation Minister assured all benefits to temple employees in the region as enjoyed by others in other similar boards in the state.

Minister Elamaram Kareem, Benoy Viswom, A Pradeep Kumar, MLA, District Collector A Jayathilak, were among those present on the occasion.

UNI PCH ROY SK HT1918