Tirupati, Jan 29 (IANS): The budget of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which administers the world's richest Hindu temple at Tirumala near here and several other temples in the country, has crossed Rs 5,000 crore.

The TTD trust board on Monday passed a Rs 5,141 crore budget for 2024-25, a jump of over 16 per cent over the previous year.

This is the highest budget since TTD's inception in 1933.

The meeting of TTD Trust Board presided over by Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy passed the budget.

For the coming year, the lion's share of revenues totalling Rs 1,611 crore are anticipated from Hundi collections.

Similarly, interest receipts on fixed deposits are expected to generate Rs 1,167 crore, while Rs 600 crore is expected to be realised from laddu and other 'prasadam' sales.

The temple trust is also expected to earn Rs 448 crore from Darshanam receipts and Arjithaseva.

Accommodation and Kalyana Mandapams are expected to generate revenue of Rs 147 crore.

Karunakar Reddy said as a part of its mission of taking forward the Sanatana Hindu Dharma Prachara, the TTD Trust Board decided to make mangalsutras weighing 5 gm and 10 gm, and sell them to the devotees after getting the divine blessings for a blissful married life of the couple.

"These Mangalasutrams will be prepared in 5 grams and 10 grams on a cost-to-cost basis in four or five designs," he said.

The Board approved tenders towards the construction of a gravel road in an additional 132.05 acres of land allocated for housing of TTD employees.

It creased the wages of 70 contract laddu tray lifting semi-skilled and unskilled workers in TTD Potu department.

The Board gave the nod to increase the wages of those working under contract and outsourcing system in various departments of TTD.

The Six Vedic schools of TTD have been spreading the Vedic education as part of Hindu Sanatana Dharma Prachara.

The Board decided to increase the salaries of 51 Vedic teachers working in these schools from Rs 35,000 to Rs 54,000.