TIRUPATI: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the chief custodian of the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala, has allocated Rs 13 crore for distributing food packets to the displaced people, poor and daily wage workers who bereft of any work now due to the lockdown.
TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal said each of the 13 districts in the State will be given Rs 1 crore for the purpose. The amount is being drawn from the Srivari Nitya Anna Prasadam Trust. District Collectors were requested to utilise the funds to distribute food packets as Srivari Anna Prasadam to the needy people in their regions and said if need be, the TTD would sanction more funds for humanitarian purposes.
Following COVID-19 lockdown under the directives of Central and State governments which is extended till May 3, TTD continues to distribute food packets to the poor and homeless. It has so far distributed 25 lakh food packets to stranded pilgrims and migrant workers in Tirupati, starting from March 28. The TTD is providing 70,000 food packets every day . As the Employees’ Canteen complex has now come under the red zone, food packets are being prepared at the kitchens of Srinivasam Rest House, Tiruchanur, Annaprasadam Complex and Sri Padmavati Women’s College.