TIRUPATI: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has started another donor’s counter at Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam Complex in Tirumala on Wednesday. Donors can donate in small amounts starting from Rs 100 at the newly-opened counter.
TTD Additional EO A.V. Dharma Reddy inaugurated the counter. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the devotee donors could contribute small amounts of even Rs 100 and above at the counter operated by the Union Bank of India in the complex.
The Venkateswara Nitya Annadanam Endowment Scheme was started by the TTD on April 6, 1985, with serving of free food to 2,000 pilgrims per day at Tirumala. Subsequently, the scheme was transformed into an independent organisation called “Sri Venkateswara Nitya Annadanam Trust '', with effect from April 1, 1994. The name of the trust was changed to Sri Venkateswara Annaprasadam trust on April 1, 2014.
This trust is being run with donations received from devotees/donors from all over the world. The trust deposited all the donations in nationalised banks and the interest accrued on it is being utilised to meet the expenditure of the trust.
During the pre-Covid days, every day 10,000 litres of milk was procured and served in Vaikuntam queue complexes-I&II for pilgrims waiting in compartments and also in other complexes. Every day, 10 to 12 tonnes of rice was used at Tirumala and 1.75 tonnes of rice was used at Tirupati. Around 6.5 to 7.5 tonnes of vegetables were used at all annaprasadam canteens at Tirumala and were received on donation basis.
