Vijayawada: Senior TDP leader Kalaparapu Bucchi Ram Prasad on Tuesday assumed charge as chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Brahmin Welfare Corporation in the presence of endowments minister Anam Ram Narayana Reddy.Speaking on the occasion, Bucchi Ram Prasad said the Brahmin Corporation would now be revived with all welfare schemes. He credited chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu with being the first in the country to include Brahmin welfare in party manifesto and to establish a dedicated Brahmin Corporation. “In the past, no one cared for Brahmin welfare. It was only Chandrababu Naidu who initiated this historic step. I will work with full commitment for the development and welfare of the community,” he said.Bucchi Ram Prasad also said that committees in temples are being set up as per Agama Shastra and that efforts are being made to constitute a committee to address attacks on Hindu temples. He added that education minister Nara Lokesh has directed the construction of 1,000 Hindu temples in backward class colonies, and action would be taken accordingly.Endowments minister Anam Ram Narayana Reddy said that the Brahmin Corporation was established to prioritise welfare and development programmes for the community, particularly for economically weaker sections. “The endowments department will extend full support to the corporation. The coalition govt is committed to Brahmin welfare. We have also amended rules to provide representation to Brahmins as directors in temple governing bodies,” he said.The minister noted that the govt has increased the monthly honorarium for Vedic scholars from Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000, raised the honorarium for priests from Rs 10,000 to Rs15,000, and enhanced the Dhoopa Deepa Naivedyam support for temples from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. He further announced that approval has been given for 380 new temples under the Dhoopa Deepa Naivedyam scheme. “Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is sincerely committed to spiritual activities and temple development. The govt is prepared to allocate more funds if required for temple administration and development,” Reddy said.MLA Nakka Anand Babu, MLC Alapati Rajendraprasad, AP NRI Corporation chairman Dr Vemuri Ravi, AP Brahmin Corporation MD M Chinnababu, CEO Naga Sai, and several staff members congratulated the new chairman.
