Tirumala: Annaprasadam Trust Corpus Fund crosses 1,350 crore

Tirumala: The corpus fund of TTD Sri Venkateswara Annaprasadam Trust (SVAT) crossed Rs 1,350 crore with the donations pouring in daily to the Trust.

As many as nine trusts were set up by the TTD administering the famed Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple, Tirumala for taking up social service activities on a big scale.

It is needless to say that among the nine trusts, Annaprasadam Trust tops with highest number of donors contributing to the Trust enabling the TTD to take up free food distribution on a massive scale covering not only the pilgrims at Tirumala but also other sections like students studying in TTD educational institutions, patients in the government and TTD hospitals in Tirupati.

TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal said Anna Prasadam wing will soon become self-sufficient and the interest accrued from the corpus fund is enough to meet the total annual expenditure being incurred by the TTD for providing free food distribution.

He was speaking to the media after participating in Ayudha Pooja held at Mathrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam Complex (MTVAC) in Tirumala on Saturday.

Singhal said the strong belief of the people in the country that "Annadanam as Mahadanam," the noblest thing a person can do coupled with TTD's impeccable record of excellent service to the pilgrims saw the donations to Annaprasdam Trust picking up year after year.

"Everyday donations are pouring in to Sri Venkateswara Annaprasadam Trust and at present we have Rs 1350 crores in the Corpus. During last year, donations to the tune of Rs 141 crore were given to APT out of which Rs 79 crore accumulated as interest income. The total expenditure on Annaprasadam last year was Rs 99.90 crore.

In other words, in another two or three years, the Annaprasadam Wing will become self-sufficient and expenses can be met from the interest amount itself," he pointed out.

Adding further, the EO said, at present during normal days, Annaprasadam is being served to one lakh pilgrims and during peak and special occasion days over 1.5 lakh pilgrims are being provided Annaprasadam.

"Every day we are receiving 6-7 tonnes of vegetables and with the special initiative taken by Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy, now in the last two months even the Annaprasadam received about 55 tonnes rice as donation," he added.

Singhal lauded the services being rendered by Srivari Sevaks in distribution of Annaprasadam. "I congratulate the entire staff, Srivari Seva volunteers who are doing impeccable services to the multitude of pilgrims especially in the distribution of Annaprasadam during most important occasions like Garuda Seva, Ratha Sapthami, summer vacation and Vaikuntha Ekadasi," the EO said.

EO along with Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy and Annadanam wing participated in the Ayudha Pooja and performed the traditional ceremony observed in the wing every year.

Deputy EO Nagaraju, catering officer GLN Shastry, EE Jagadishwar Reddy, VGO Manohar, other Annaprasadam staff and Srivari Seva volunteers were also present.

DL donates Rs 30 lakh: Former Minister Dr DL Ravindra Reddy from Kadapa district donated Rs 30 lakh to SVAT to serve breakfast, meals and dinner to pilgrims at Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam Complex (MTVAC) at Tirumala on Saturday. The senior politician has also served Annaprasadam to devotees in the massive MTVAC.