Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy on Thursday inaugurated the newly constructed Block-1 and Block-2 accommodation complexes built at a cost of ₹14.74 crores at Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy Temple, Kanipakam.

The accommodation complexes comprise a total of 83 rooms, 15 suite rooms, and two common halls.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said the government is taking temple development programmes across the State with the cooperation of donors and temple administrative bodies. He said: “Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan have strengthened the *Dhupa Deepa Naivedyam* scheme in fulfilment of their election promise. The scheme is being implemented in 6,229 temples across the State with an outlay of ₹74.74 crore. We are planning to expand the scheme to 10,000 temples in the future.”

The Minister further announced that renovation works worth ₹812.67 crore were undertaken for 691 temples across the State’s 26 districts in the past 23 months, funded through the Common Good Fund.

“For the upcoming Godavari Pushkarams scheduled to commence on June 26, 2027, development works are currently underway at temples situated within the Godavari river basin region,” Mr Ramanarayana said.

He said that the appointment of Boards of Trustees for 980 temples across the State has been completed, and appointments for another 438 temples will be taken up shortly.

On the plans to develop the `Ardhagiri’ temple under the ‘Temple Tourism’ initiative, Mr Ramanarayana said that the endowments and tourism departments would prepare a comprehensive project report by June 15. The site would be developed into a prominent tourist destination by incorporating ayurvedic and `nakshatra’ (astrological) trees.

He further shared that funds have been allocated for the development of the Aragonda Chowdeswari Temple.

As part of the development of the Kanipakam temple, the construction of two Kalyana Mandapams (marriage halls) and a VIP guest house funded by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) at a cost of ₹25 crores is currently in the tender stage. Proposals have been put forward for the renovation of the Pushkarini (temple tank) at a cost of ₹3 crores, a bus stand at ₹16 crores, and a donor guest house at ₹4 crores.

Collector Sumit Kumar, Temple Trust Board Chairman Mani Naidu, Executive Officer (EO) Penchala Kishore, and others participated in the event.