TTD approves Rs 1,641 crore budget for 2011-12

Tirupati, Feb 11 (PTI) Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams(TTD), which manages the famous hill shrine of LordVenkateswara at Tirumala near here, today approved a Rs1,641.76 crore budget for the fiscal year 2011-12.

After a monthly meeting on the hills, TTD executiveofficer, I Y R Krishna Rao, told reporters that the cashofferings made in the temple hundi alone is estimated to bringin about Rs 675 crore.

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

The revenue from sale of worship tickets including paidrituals tickets and special entrance darshan tickets areexpected to touch Rs 207 crore during the financial year, Raoadded.

The budget has also set aside Rs 150 crore for the TTDEngineering Division for construction of pilgrimaccommodations and other amenities on the hills and inTirupati, Rao said.

The budget has also allotted funds of Rs 55 crore forTTD-run educational institutions and Rs 30.84 crore forTTD-run hospitals, he added.