For the first time after a gap of 10 years and for the second time in the history of Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress party government in Andhra Pradesh led by chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy established a full-fledged Dharmika Parishad with 21 members on the board.
The Dharmika Parishad is aimed at governing the affairs of religious institutions, and for policy decisions taken by the government over the affairs of temples, Mathams, Sathrams, and other Hindu charitable institutions under the purview of the Endowments department.
The Dharmika Parishad was formed after ten years, under Section 152 of The AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act of 1987. The tenure of the Parishad will be three years.
This is the second time that a Dharmika Parishad is formed both in the united AP and after bifurcation.
The 21- member Committee is constituted with the Endowments department Minister as the Chairman, two Mathadhipathis, two Agama Pandits, a retired High Court judge, a retired Principal Special Judge, a retired IAS officer, a charted accountant, a retired Endowments department officer, and two donors who played a key role in the construction of temples, to the governing bodies of various temples and six members who have been appointed by the Government has as chairmen of the governing bodies of temples.
The Chief Secretary of the Endowments Department, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Executive Officer will be the members, and the Commissioner of Endowments Department will be the Member Secretary (Member Secretary).
