TTD to set up institute for renal sciences

Tirupati,june30

In a major move the TTD Board of Trustees on Monday resolved to set up an institute for advanced studies in renal sciences covering nephrology and urology at a cost of over Rs. 100 crore.

Briefing media persons on the deliberations of the meeting TTD Board Chairman B. Karunakar Reddy said the institute would be set up at Tirupati and be administered solely by the TTD. In the first phase the management would release Rs.37 crore.

CAG scrutiny

Another major decision taken was to subject the accounts of the TTD for verification and scrutiny by the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG). It was also decided to request the Central government to expedite the formalities involved in the process.

A Control Management cell would be set up at the TTD headquarters to monitor and implement minimum wages for all the contract workers working in various departments of the TTD.

Besides paying ESI and EPF, salaries of all the contract workers would be deposited in the banks. Biometric system would be introduced in taking the attendance of the contract labourers.
A Contract Management Cell would be set up to redress grievances of contract employees, he said.

The TTD would acquire 127.44 acres of land at Brahmanapattu for employees housing. Initially, 25 per cent of the cost of land would be paid. The remaining cost of land would be paid in a phased manner.

It was decided to construct 850 flats at Vinayaka Nagar Quarters and SGS Quarters. The TTD employees have to pay 40 per cent of the flat cost. The remaining amount would be borne by the TTD.As part of its commitment to provide house sites and residential flats to its employees the board decided to shoulder 60 per cent of the cost of the flats.

.UGC norms would be implemented for the staff of SV Music College, once it is upgraded as a Music University.

Grading system would be introduced for Annamacharya Project artists and their remuneration per performance would be increased from Rs 800 to Rs 1,000. Free medicare would also be provided to them at TTD hospitals.

The board gave its nod for filling all the existing 40 vacancies in the temple kitchen with regular employees.

Cash incentive

It was also decided to provide Rs. 5,000 as cash incentive to all the employees working in the TTD along with a 5 gm gold dollar as part of the ‘Amruthotsavams’ (silver jubilee celebrations) scheduled to begin in the first week of July. Retired employees would be given a cash incentive of Rs. 1,000.

Scanners

As part of its efforts strengthening the security system sophisticated scanners would be installed both on the second ghat road leading to Tirumala and at the footpath to check the possible smuggling of weapons into Tirumala. Besides this the scanners would also help identify the prohibited articles like liquor and meat from being carried into the temple town. The board also directed the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer to submit a detailed report in this regard.

Earlier at a brief ceremony at the TTD’s Nitya Anadanam complex Mr. Karunakar Reddy introduced plain dal and ghee in the free meal menu and formally served them to the devotees.

Later, he formally commissioned the Re. 1 instant purified water facility for the benefit of the visiting devotees.

TTD Executive officer K. V. Ramanachary, Special Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy and other board members were present at the meeting.