The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams which manages the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara near here has approved a Rs 2,401 crore budget for the fiscal year 2014-15.
The cash offerings, to be made by millions of devotees in the temple ‘hundi’ (offering box), was expected to net about Rs 900 crore while the interest on investments deposited in several banks was estimated to account for Rs 655 crore, TTD Board Chairman K Bapiraju told reporters, after the Board of Trustees meeting today.
A Rs 90 crore was expected to fetch from TTD pilgrim accommodations and TTD marriage halls on the hills and here, he said.
The sale of various darshan and other ritual tickets is estimated to bring in Rs 236 crore while auction of human hair is expected to net about Rs 220 crore for the new fiscal, he said.
Rs 400 crore was estimated for payment of salaries and wages to about 9,000 staff while a Rs 155 was projected for outsourcing expenses, he said.
He said Rs 55 crore was calculated to meet the expenses of electrical charges.
Temple sources told PTI that during the year about two crore pilgrims from across the globe thronged the ancient hill shrine while about 70 lakh have got their heads tonsured as fulfilment of vow.