TTD To Provide Free Life Insurance Cover For Devotees At Tirumala

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to introduce free life insurance cover for devotees visiting Tirumala. The coverage is an extension of the existing accident insurance assistance. The insurance will cover deaths from natural causes during the Tirumala pilgrimage.

The TTD took the decision at the Trust Board meeting chaired by chairman Bollineni Rajagopal Naidu, popularly known as B.R. Naidu, at Tirumala on Wednesday.

Announcing the decisions taken at the meeting, B.R. Naidu, along with TTD executive officer Muddada Ravichandra, said the initiative would be the first of its kind among the temple trusts in the country.

He said the proposed insurance scheme is intended to cover various risks associated with the Tirumala pilgrimage. The TTD will bear the premium for the coverage under which the family of a devotee who dies of natural causes in Tirumala will receive ₹2 lakh.

At present, the TTD provides accident insurance assistance to the kin of devotees killed in road accidents between Alipiri and Tirumala in specified circumstances. The TTD Board has now decided to increase the insurance cover for devotees who die accidentally from ₹3 lakh to ₹10 lakh. It also decided to extend Employee Health Facility (EHF) benefits to retired CPS / NPS pensioners and their families on par with the facility available to OPS pensioners.

The TTD chairman said the trust board has approved a proposal to establish a biogas plant to process food waste generated at the Annaprasadam complex, canteens, and hotels in Tirumala. Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has come forward to produce biogas through water hydrolysis after segregating the waste. The biogas will be supplied to the Annaprasadam kitchen complex.

The operation of the plant will be entrusted to GPS Renewables for ₹2.80 crore.

To speed up the preparation of Srivari laddus at the Tirumala potu, the TTD Board has resolved to send proposals to the state government seeking permission for 400 additional outsourcing workers. It decided to increase the salaries of 48 employees working in various TTD departments. It approved transport charges for additional sanitation staff for three years at a cost of ₹1.60 crore.

B.R. Naidu said the TTD Board has approved gold-plating works for the pedestal of Goddess Padmavati at the Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Narayanavanam, in addition to the flagstaff and Bali Peetham at the Padmavati Ammavari Temple in Chennai.

The TTD chairman said the licence period of the TTD building allotted to the Telugu and Sanskrit Academy in Tirupati has been extended by another three years.