Endowment Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy admitted that it is a fact there are non- Hindu people working in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). Referring to Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s comments that there are over 1,000 non-Hindu people in the TTD, he said that an investigation is underway in the wake of his comments.
For the first time since the formation of the coalition government, a joint meeting was held in Tirumala under the auspices of the TTD and the Endowments Department. Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, TTD Chairman BR Naidu, EO Shyamala Rao and other officials participated in this program.
On this occasion, discussions were held on various issues including the unresolved problems in the TTD. Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said that some problems related to the temples had come up in the review conducted by CM Chandrababu in the past. He said that the Chief Minister had ordered them to discuss and come back to those problems.
The Minister said that today’s meeting was held as part of this. He explained that there are rules to take 9 percent of the Common Good Fund from the TTD. It was revealed that the previous 5 percent has been increased to 9 percent. Anam reminded that it was said in the manifesto that unemployed priests would be provided with an allowance.
He said that 590 Vedic scholars are unemployed in the state and it has been decided to give them Rs. 3000. Similarly, he explained that discussions have been held on filling 192 posts in TTD colleges and schools. On the other hand, he said that Rs. 147 crores have not been released for the temples under reconstruction in the state through the Srivani Trust.
He said that another Rs. 11 crores of funds are to be received by the Srivani Trust for the remaining temples. The minister revealed that the board and officials have said that they will discuss all these and take a decision. He said that the TTD Board has said that a decision will be taken on the Srivani Trust funds. Anam requested TTD’s cooperation to build another road to Durga temple in Vijayawada.
