Government seeks report from Sai Trust

HYDERABAD: Expressing concern over the developments in Puttaparthi, the State government on Wednesday asked the Sathya Sai Central Trust to submit a detailed report on its financial and social activities along with its future plans.Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy held a meeting at the Secretariat with ministers P Lakshmaiah and N Raghuveera Reddy on the alleged irregularities in the Sai Trust.Briefing mediapersons, IT and Endowments Minister Lakshmaiah said the government had asked the trust members to submit a report on the trust’s activities, its financial status including movable and immovable properties, and also its future plans like social service activities.“We are in no hurry and did not set any deadline to the trust members for the submission of this report.Any further action will be taken only after receiving the report,” he said.Lakshmaiah said the government had no immediate plans to takeover the trust and will wait until the trust members submit their report.The minister said though the trust was registered under the Endowments Act, the State government gave several exemptions and never interfered in its functioning respecting the sentiments of Sathya Sai’s devotees.“The trust has been rendering yeomen services for the past 35 years and is being run by respected people. But in the past a few days, questions are being raised over their activities and the government is concerned about these developments,” he said.Chief Secretary SV Prasad, Principal Secretary, Endowments Department KV Ramanachary, officials of the Endowments Department and intelligence wings attended the meeting.