TTD to deposit 3,000 kg gold with SBI

TIRUMALA: The TTD board of trustees on Tuesday resolved to deposit 3,000 kg. of gold belonging to it with the SBI. As per the understanding reached between the TTD and the SBI, the bank will pay an interest of 1.60 per cent on the quantity of the gold deposited with the TTD. The SBI also will make the required arrangements for the transportation of the gold to the government mint at Mumbai, on its own.

The transportation charges, along with the expenses, will be borne by the bank. Earlier, the TTD's treasury department officials shouldered the responsibility of transporting the gold to the Mumbai mint and procuring the required gold coins for selling them across the TTD's counters at Tirumala.

Decision put off

Briefing the deliberations of the meeting, TTD Chairman D.K.Adikesavulu said that the board had postponed its decision over the enhancement of the Arjitha Seva tickets as recommended by the four-member committee.

The parents with infants who enjoyed the facility of gaining entry into the temple complex on a par with the physically-challenged and aged devotees hereafter shall be allowed through a special entry from the ‘Supatham'.

The board which has given its nod for the construction of a Divya Kshetram at Kurukshetra in six acres of land also positively responded to bear all the expenses required for the purchase of medicines at its BIRRD ( Balaji Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for the Disabled ) Hospital at Tirupati.

X-ray scanners

The stretch between the Narasimhaswamy temple and the Mokallamitta on the footpath leading to the holy hills will be widened at a cost of Rs.2.35 crore. It was also decided to set-up nine X-ray baggage scanners at the Alipiri security check post at a cost of Rs.1.36 crore. The board also granted permission to a team of 10 Vedic priests and pundits to attend the TTD-organised Sri Venkateswara Kalyanotsavam at New Jersey in the US in the first week of May with a rider that on their return they should not cross the Kulasekhara Alwar Padi inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

Donors felicitated

Besides releasing the souvenir commemorating the 500th anniversary of Sri Krishnadevaraya ascending the Vijayanagara throne, PVRK Prasad Rao was given two year extension as the chairman of the TTD Dharmika Mandali.

Later, marking the silver jubilee celebrations of the Sri Venkateswara Nitya Annadanam the Chairman and the TTD Executive officer IYR Krishna Rao felicitated the donors at a brief function organised at the free meal complex.