The funds for TTD Annaprasadam are pouring in , in the form of Charity, but the quality of rice is not improving.
It is a good scheme by TTD, but a lot in terms of quality can be improved in the long run. In 1933, when TTD took over the Administration of Srivari temple, it made a small beginning in catering to the hunger needs of devotees with a canteen providing snacks at a fair price.
Later in 1965, a canteen was set up at the Mandapam where Akhanda Harinama Sankeertans are held now. In, those days Idli was priced at 10 paise, vada at 15ps, tea and coffee at 25ps and masala dosa at 40ps and meals at ₹1.
From 1970-80 TTD operated Sri Venkateswara Public Canteen (SVPC) in an ANC area. On 1971 March 31, the then CM of united AP Sri K Brahmananda Reddy launched the canteen at SV Rest House.
Thereafter a TTD central canteen was opened at RTC bus station between 1981-84 providing plate meals at ₹1.75 and full meals at ₹3. The then TTD EO Sri PVRK Prasad opened up Annaprasada Bhavan providing cost effect meals and special meals at ₹4.50 and daily 5000 meals were sold.
However as daily footfalls to Tirumala galloped, TTD made efforts to provide free Annaprasadam to devotees and in 1985 the then CM of united AP Sri NT Rama Rao launched the limited free Annadanam scheme with a ₹10 lakhs donation by a devotee LV Ramaiah.
As per the scheme free meals tokens were issued to devotees after Srivari darshan. What began with 2000 free meals shot into 14,000 and 20,000. Meals were served to 1000 devotees at a time in two halls and by 2008 the daily number crossed 1 lakh.
The TTD, in fact, can open a big canteen charging nominally with quality food and variety of foods.
