TTD approves budget of 2,678 cr

*No change in income from offerings
*Interest on investments and income via Seegradarshan increased marginally
*Rs 67.87cr allotted for vigilance and security

Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Trust Board which met on Saturday approved its budget estimates, in which the income and expenditure remained same at Rs 2678.07 crore for the year 2016-17.

The TTD budget meeting chaired by Chairman Chadalavada Krishnamurthy approved the budget 2016-17 and also the revised estimates for the year 2015-16.

The major receipts expected by the TTD in the year 2016 -17 include Rs 1,010 crore through kanukas (offerings) from devotees including the Hundi offerings, interest on investments Rs 778.93 crore, the sale of special entry darshan (Rs 300) tickets Rs 209 crore, sale of prasadam Rs 175 crore, accommodation and Kalyanamantapams (rentals) Rs 114.50 crore, human hair sale Rs 150 crore and Arjitha sevas Rs 55 crore.

While the expenditures include Rs 500 crore towards wages and salaries to employees, procurement of materials for temples and institutions Rs 320 crore, development (engineering) works Rs 169 crore, for propagation of Hindu dharma Rs 121 crore, education Rs 93.20 crore, health and sanitation Rs 72.85 crore, facility and management Rs 36 crore, for TTD hospitals Rs 37 crore and grant to other hospital including SVIMS, BIRRD, SSSN Trust, Sravanam Projects and SVRRG (Ruia) Rs 37 crore.

An amount Rs 67.87 crore was provided to vigilance and security department. This apart, Rs 120 was earmarked toward pension and Rs 75 crore to strengthen the corpus of the pension fund in the year 2016-17.

Interestingly, the major revenue Kanukas remained the same in 2015-16 and also 2016-17 while other incomes expected including the interest on investments and Seegradarshan increased marginally with about Rs 10 crore and the sale of prasadams Rs 20 crore.