Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Saturday approved a Rs 2,678-crore budget for the financial year 2016-17. The trust manages Lord Venkateshwara's hill shrine in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
Of the total amount, cash offerings made by devotees in the offering box were expected to generate about Rs 1,010 crore. Interest received on investments deposited in public-sector banks will come up to Rs 757 crore, trust chairman Chadalavada Krishnamurthy told reporters.
In a symbolic form of sacrifice, millions get their heads shaved in Tirupati. The sale of this human hair was expected to fetch Rs 150 crore. "Sale of different worship tickets, including Rs 500 VIP tickets and pre-dawn tickets, was estimated to net Rs 264 crore," TTD officials were quoted as saying by Press Trust of India.
For paying salaries to their 9,000 staff members, the trust estimated a cost of Rs 500 crore. Rs 160 crore would be spent on several engineering works.
Sale of Laddu Prasadam is expected to account for Rs 175 crore of revenue, while the rental tariffs of different TTD premises were expected to cross Rs 133 crore — including shops and restaurants. A total of Rs 121 crore would be spent for the propagation of Hindu dharma, said the Press Trust of India report.
TTD trust could not be reached for a comment.
