TTD approves Rs 2,248 crore budget

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, which administers the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara, has approved a Rs 2,248 crore budget for the fiscal year 2013-14.

The offerings, to be made by millions of devotees in the temple 'hundi' (offering box), was expected to fetch about Rs 859 crore while the interest on investments deposited in national banks by TTD was estimated to account for Rs 555 crore, TTD Board Chairman K Bapiraju told reporters, after the Board of Trustees monthly meeting held on the hills.

The sale of various darshan and other ritual tickets is estimated to bring in Rs 231 crore while auction of human hair is expected to net about Rs 200 crore for the new fiscal, he said.

The payment of salaries and wages to about 9,000 staff was expected to be a major outgo -- Rs 335 crore, besides Rs 145 crore that was projected for outsourcing expenses, he said.
Revised estimates of the TTD budget for 2012-13 was put at Rs 2,160 crore, he added.