Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams approves Rs 1,641 crore budget for 2011-12

TIRUPATI: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near Tirupati, on Friday approved a Rs 1,641.76 crore budget for the fiscal year 2011-12.

After a monthly meeting, TTD executive officer, IYR Krishna Rao, told reporters that the cash offerings made in the temple hundi alone is estimated to bring in about Rs 675 crore.

The interest on TTD investments of cash and gold deposits made at several nationalised banks is estimated to earn it about Rs 431.73 crore, he said.

The revenue from sale of worship tickets including paid rituals tickets and special entrance darshan tickets are expected to touch Rs 207 crore during the financial year, Rao added.

The budget has also set aside Rs 150 crore for the TTD Engineering Division for construction of accommodations for pilgrims and other amenities on the hills and in Tirupati, Rao said.

Funds of Rs 55 crore for TTD-run educational institutions and Rs 30.84 crore for hospitals have also been allotted in the budget, he added.