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The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea of Subramanian Swamy challenging the Andhra Pradesh government's decision to appoint a one-member committee to review the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report on the Tirumala laddu controversy. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi was hearing Swamy's plea, which also assailed statements made by the Andhra Pradesh chief minister on the row. CJI Kant said, "Such an administrative enquiry cannot be called as overlapping with the criminal proceedings which led to the chargesheet and supplementary chargesheet." "There is no conflict of interest/overlapping, and the scope of the investigation/enquiry, having been well demarcated, shows that apprehension of the petitioner does not have a solid foundation. Let both processes continue strictly in accordance with the law," the court said. Swamy argued that the state government's move undermines the authority of the SIT, which was constituted earlier by the .
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the custodian of the super-rich shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala hills here has lodged a police complaint against Tamil Nadu-based AR Dairy Foods Pvt Ltd on the issue of supplying adulterated ghee. TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao in a press conference had said the lab tests have revealed the presence of animal fat and lard in chosen samples of ghee supplied by AR Dairy. The dairy firm that supplied ghee to the temple, has denied the allegations and said that its product samples have been duly cleared by authorities certifying its quality. The firm's spokespersons told reporters that only during the months of June and July they had supplied ghee to the TTD.
The Trust Board of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the official custodian of Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati on Monday approved a budget estimate of Rs 5,142 crore for the year 2024-25. The budget, a slight increase from Rs 5,123 crore in 2023-24 was approved in a board meeting chaired by TTD chairman B Karunakara Reddy. According to the budget highlights shared with PTI, hundi kanuka (devotees' offerings) emerged as the largest source of funds at Rs 1,611 crore for the world-famous temple, maintaining the same level as the previous year. Interest receipts at Rs 1,167 crore are the second-largest source of funds, showing an increase of Rs 100 crore from 2023-24, followed by prasadams receipts (consecrated food) at Rs 600 crore (compared to Rs 550 crore) and an opening cash and bank balance of Rs 347 crore. Opening cash and bank balance declined by Rs 180 crore when compared to the budget estimates of 2023-24. Other major sources of funds include darshanam (visit) receipt
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has increased its annual budget by seven per cent for 2017-18 to Rs 2,878 crore. One of the World's richest temple, expects its capital funds (as kanuka) to increase by three per cent and interest on investments to go up by 10 per cent.TTD expects to receive Rs 1,110 crore from capital funds (as kanuka) from devotees as compared to Rs 1,010 crore in 2016-17. Capital funds continues to be the major source of income for TTD.Special Entry Darshan, Rs 300 ticket, is expected to fetch a minimum of Rs 256 crore for the financial year as against RS 200 crore (as per revised estimates), a year ago.Interest on investments is expected to increase to Rs 807 crore from Rs 778.93 crore, year ago, while accommodation and Arjitha seva tickets are expected to clock around Rs 124 crore and Rs 55 crore respectively.During 2017-18, the Board expects to garner Rs 100 crore by selling human hair. It may be noted, devotees who come here offer their hairs as vow. In ..