TTD unveils Rs 3,116-crore budget for 2019-2020

: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that manages the richest hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara presented Tuesday its budget proposals for 2019-20, expecting an overall revenue of about Rs 3,116 crore during the year, a top TTD official said.

Of the overall income, the cash offerings were projected at Rs 1,231 crore, TTD chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav told reporters on the Tirumala hills, near here.

The revenue from the interest on deposits in nationalised and private banks was estimated to be about Rs 846 crore, he said.

The sale of tickets for various forms of worship, including rituals in the temple, special entry tickets of VIPs and the online tickets priced at Rs 300 could get Rs 292 crore while the laddu prasadam might bring in about Rs 270 crore, he said.

The proceeds from the auction on human hair to be offered by millions of devotees, including the aged, women and infants, as fulfilment of their vow were projected to be Rs 10 crore, he said.

The revenue from the TTD accommodations and marriage halls allotted to devotees was estimated to be around Rs 105 crore, he said.

On the expenditures, he said, the salaries and other wages to the over 6,000 staff might touch about Rs 625 crore while the expenses for the out-sourcing personnel could cost about Rs 340 crore.

About Rs 400 crore was expected to be spent on new constructions of pilgrims' amenities, taking up repair and laying of roads, he said.

A sum of Rs 179 crore was expected to be spent for the propagation of Hindu dharma activities in the sub-continent, he added.