Tirupati: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) distributed house site pattas to 2,009 employees in the second phase of their distribution programme held at the Mahati auditorium here on Monday.
Participating in the event as chief guest, TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy claimed this was a record of sorts, covering almost all the TTD staff. No other organisation had ever provided land to employees free of cost, he claimed.
Karunakar Reddy credited former CM, late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, for sanctioning land for the TTD staff in 2009. “Now, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy readily agreed to consider a plea for grant of free house sites to the TTD employees,” he said.
While the CM was ready to allot these sites to the temple staff even without a payment, the TTD decided on charging a nominal amount from the employees. This was done on the basis of legal advice.
He thanked TTD executive officer A.V. Dharma Reddy, district collector K. Venkataramana Reddy and other officials for their role in expediting the housing project.
“The collector has taken the initiative to procure 250 acres of land at Pagali village in Yerpedu mandal to provide house sites in the third phase of the scheme, which would go to retired employees and pensioners.
The TTD trust board has sanctioned '87.50 crore for the project on special interest taken by executive officer Dharma Reddy,” Karunakar Reddy said.
Assuring the employees that they would have the site ownership, Dharma Reddy said these were regular government lands purchased legally by the TTD. These lands were without disputes. He expected that the land acquisition would be done by the month-end to carry out the next phase.
Appealing to the TTD staff to serve the devotees wholeheartedly, he urged them to seek the blessings of Lord Venkateswara.
