CAG finds defects in records maintenance

Karimnagar: Vemulawada in Karimnagar district is popularly known as Dakshina Kasi. Lakhs of devotees have darshan of the Lord at Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple.

Every year during the Sammakka Sarakka Jatara, devotees first have darshan of Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy and then take part in Sammakka Sarakka fete. Apart from devotees in the State, devotees from the neighbouring States also visit the temple and have the darshan of the Lord. The devotees visiting the temple are increasing every year. The devotees offer donations in cash and jewellery to the Lord. With the increase in devotees, there has been a rise in the income to the temple. However, the officials have not been able to properly maintain the accounts of the temple. The office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has been finding fault with the maintenance of the records at the temple every year.

Though there has been a frequent change in the executive officers at the temple, there has been no improvement in the maintenance of the accounts. As the income of the temple is increasing with each passing year, more errors are being detected in the maintenance of the accounts.

In March 2013, a team of officers from the CAG’s office visited the temple and took records of the previous three years for audit. They examined the records for 12 days and took three months to prepare the audit report. The team raised objections on 19 issues on verification of the records. It identified defects in the records pertaining to the donations secured by the temple from the devotees including the gold and silver ornaments.

Though the officials from the CAG’s office alerted the temple officials, there was no improvement in maintenance of the records pertaining to 2013-2014. The temple secured an income of Rs 37.11 crore in 2009-10 and incurred an expenditure of Rs 36.41 crore and secured an income of Rs 34.98 crore in 2010-11 and incurred an expenditure of Rs 35.97 crore, while in 2011-12, the income was Rs 51.62 crore and the expenditure Rs 46.46 crore. The expenditure incurred by the temple was more than the income in 2012-13. As the records were not properly maintained, the CAG’s office raised several queries. However, the temple officials were not able to provide clear records. CAG raised objections pertaining to records of gold bonds, collection of rent on temple properties given for hire following the auction system and maintenance of 2.38 acres of land of the temple.

The local people urged the temple authorities to improve maintenance of records as devotees regularly provide donations to the temple.