TIRUMALA: The annual budget of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, the trust managing the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple here has crossed the `2,000-crore mark, the first for any temple trust in the country. The board of trustees under the chairmanship of Kanumuri Bapiraju, approved an estimated budget of `2,010.01 crore for financial year 2012-13. The revised estimates for the financial year 2011-12 stood at `1,949.26 crore.
The budget focuses on providing better amenities to pilgrims, improving the security of the temple and pilgrims, welfare of employees, dharmic activities and infrastructure, all without hiking the prices of tickets or services. As per the details provided by TTD chairman K Bapiraju and executive officer L V Subrahmanyam, there has been a significant increase in the Hundi collection and revenue from the sale of human hair in global auction and from sale of Seeghra
Darshan tickets.
Through Hundi and other donations, which are referred to as Kanukas (capital funds) the estimated receipt for 2011-12 is `731 crore and the projected revenue for 2012-13 is `800 crore. The estimated revenue for the year ending this month and the projected revenue for the next fiscal beginning next month are given beside.