The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD,) on the 24th of May, decided to auction 23 properties of Tamil Nadu.
The decision was taken due to the financial crisis faced during the nation wide lockdown in the wake of the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 infections.
TTD is the authority of the world’s richest temple of Sri Venkateswara in Tirumala, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
The TTD authorities decided to organise a public auction to sale the properties donated by devotees in Tamil Nadu.
The TTD also formed two committees concerned with the arrangements of the auction to sell what it calls unviable and not maintainable properties in Tamil Nadu. The properties include house sites and agricultural land in different districts of Tamil Nadu with a bidding value of over Rs 1.50 crores. Estate Officer V. Devendra Reddy would head the two committees comprising 8 members to conduct the public action of the properties.
The temple lost nearly Rs. 400 crores revenue as ‘hundi’ collection or the donations dropped by devotees at the temple, which is the main source of revenue. Due to the lockdown, devotees were unable to visit the temple which impacted the loss and financial crisis for the TTD.
The situation currently is that the TTD needs Rs. 125 crores to pay salaries to its regular and contract employees.
The official orders regarding the auction were issued on the 24th of May.
