TIRUMALA: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is working towards providing Aadhaar-based services to devotees visiting Tirumala for enhancing transparency in darshan, accommodation, laddus and Srivari Seva. The TTD has obtained permission from the Central government at the first-level and a notification regarding the same from the State government is awaited, said TTD Executive Officer J Syamala Rao.
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Speaking during the Dial your EO programme in Tirumala on Friday, Rao informed the devotees about the important decisions taken by the TTD in the last one month. He said the Srivari Temple Trust has introduced rationalisation of laddus to tokenless or ticketless devotees from August 29 with an aim to provide laddus in a transparent manner.
On learning about the involvement of middlemen in the black market for laddus, the TTD has decided to issue only two laddus on production of Aadhaar card to the devotees who don’t have either darshan token or ticket on payment basis. Devotees with darshan tokens are provided with unlimited laddus (based on the availability of stock) on payment basis, besides one free laddu, Rao explained.
Revealing that devotees have requested for laddus to be provided outside the temples as well as at all TTD information centres located in Chennai, Bengaluru and Vellore, the EO said, “In the last four days, over 75,000 laddus have been distributed at these places. We are now contemplating providing laddus outside the temples on a permanent basis.”
Addressing other issues, he said as per recommendations of the Committee of Cow Ghee Experts, existing tender conditions were revised to enhance the quality and aroma of ghee, which can influence the quality of Laddu Prasadam.
The TTD is also mulling over establishing an in-house laboratory to verify the sensory parameters of the ghee. Additionally, the National Dairy Development Board has assured TTD of donating one gas chromatograph and an HPLC, which costs around Rs 80 lakh and will be set up by December.
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Further, the EO announced that committees have been constituted to improve quality of Annaprasadam and Nivedyams. A report on the recommendation is awaited, the EO added.
Annaprasadam Trust to be strengthened
TTD EO J Syamala Rao said certain short-term and long-term plans to strengthen the Annaprasadam Trust have also been made. An expert committee has been set up for the purpose, the EO said
