The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has raised serious concerns over the non-cooperation of Tamil Nadu’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department in auditing temple assets and records. The HR&CE, which manages thousands of temples across the state, has been accused of withholding crucial documents, hindering efforts to identify potential revenue leakages.
In its compliance audit report tabled during the two-day session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, which concluded on December 10, the CAG revealed that it had proposed a special audit in May 2022 to cover the period from 2019 to 2022. This move was prompted by frequent media reports alleging mismanagement and loss of temple properties. However, the HR&CE Department.
objected, claiming that the CAG had no jurisdiction to scrutinize the records of religious institutions. This objection was escalated to the Principal Secretary and Chief Secretary on multiple in 2022, but no resolution was reached. The HR&CE’s stance was based on the argument that the CAG’s purview, as per the Duties, Powers, and Conditions of Services Act (DPC Act) did not extend to religious institutions. The state government’s reply in June 2022 stated that HR&CE did not own any assets and that the CAG could only audit grants released by the state government.
The CAG rebutted this claim, highlighting that the state government collects 4-12% of income from temple assets as lease rent, which is remitted to its administrative fund. To ensure accurate realization of these lease rents, an audit of the total income from temple assets and the expenditure on HR&CE’s operations is necessary under Sections 13, 16, and 23 of the DPC Act of 1971. The report emphasized that due to the HR&CE’s non-cooperation and refusal to provide documents, the CAG could not ascertain whether revenue from temple assets was being accurately realized or if there were instances of revenue leakage. This lack of transparency raises concerns about potential financial mismanagement.
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