The idea is also believed to relieve TTD from the pains of frequently approaching the bankers in clearing its coin stocks.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has introduced ‘Dhana Prasadam’ – a novel concept aimed at providing coins of various denominations to the pilgrims in the form of a prasadam.
The concept for the present, is introduced at various TTD run sub-enquiry offices which provide cottages and guest houses with a daily rental tariff of below ₹500. Pilgrims availing such moderate accommodation are normally asked to tender ₹500 in the form of caution deposit.
Dhana Prasadam will have coins worth Rs. 100 in various denominations along with vermilion and turmeric powder.
The sub-enquiry offices while refunding the caution deposits back to the pilgrims (on vacation of their premises) shall henceforth, provide plastic pouches containing coins of various denominations for a minimum of ₹100 along with vermilion and turmeric powder of Lord in the form of ‘Dhana Prasadam’ and the rest of the amount in cash.
Pilgrims availing these packets can either preserve them at their homes in the form of ‘prasadam’ or utilise them in meeting their day-to-day expenditures.
At present, the TTD has coin currency reserves amounting around ₹2.5 crore.
The idea, if implemented on expected lines, is also believed to relieve TTD from the pains of frequently approaching the bankers in clearing its coin stocks.
The hundi at the Tirumala temple of Lord Venkateswara on an average nets over ₹3 crore in the form of income on normal days and a fair percentage of it is received in the form of coins including those of foreign countries.
The process of sorting and counting of coins has always proved an arduous task for the TTD, which found itself at the receiving end whenever the question of disposing the coins stock arose. The bankers who ferociously compete with each other in securing the daily cash proceeds received from the temple hundi sound disinclined when it comes to the lifting of coin stocks.
Thanks to the hard line approach adopted by the Addl. EO A.V. Dharma Reddy during August last year – the TTD could successfully clear its coin stocks worth over ₹4.33 crore that were lying idle in its coffers at the sprawling administrative building in Tirupati for over a couple of years.
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