The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government on Friday withdraw its proposal to draw funds from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) toe the extent of one percent of its annual budget for the comprehensive development of Tirupati city.
The Special Chief Secretary to government (Endowment) R Karikal Valaven issued an order to this effect on Friday.
The annual budget of the TTD is around Rs 3,600 crore and one percent of the amount would amount to Rs 36 crore.
The decision to allocate 1 percent of its budget to the development of Tirupati city was taken by the TTD trust board at its recent meeting. However, it triggered massive controversy and protests from Hindu organisations and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
While some parties criticised the decision, residents, local leaders and social activists took exception to the politicization of the decision even as it is bound to promote the temple city’s growth and well-being.
The BJP leaders suspected that the amount, though meant for Tirupati city, would be diverted to the state government to meet its expenditure on welfare schemes to some extent.
After the withdrawal of the decision, BJP state vice president S Vishnu Vardhan Reddy said it was the victory of the devotees of Lord Venkateshwara and the Hindu organisation.
“The funds of the TTD, donated by the devotees, should be utilised only for spreading of Hindu dharma and not for anything else,” he said.
