Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu inaugurated a centralized kitchen on Saturday followed by a media interaction where he addressed concerns over the quality of 'prasadam' distributed at the temple.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated a new centralized kitchen by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Saturday. The kitchen aims to enhance the quality of the offering to devotees. Later, he addressed concerns regarding the quality of 'laddu prasadam' at the Lord Venkateswara temple.
This comes amid allegations of adulterated ghee being used in the “laddu prasadam” during the previous YSR Congress regime, an accusation that former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has denied. Naidu stated that many devotees have expressed satisfaction with the improvements made under the current administration.
"Several people expressed happiness saying that they were satisfied with laddu quality," Naidu said, reinforcing the government's commitment to maintaining the sanctity of the offerings.
Calling for a zero-tolerance policy towards any impurities, Naidu assured that TTD is dedicated to preserving the purity of the prasadam. "TTD and the government are here to protect the purity and sanctity of Lord Balaji," he added.
During a review meeting with TTD officials, Naidu instructed the team to use only high-quality ingredients for prasadams, highlighting the importance of trust in the temple's offerings. He also called for reducing VIP culture at the temple, urging measures to minimize disruption during celebrity visits.
Naidu also proposed increasing the forest cover in Tirumala from 72% to 80%. He tasked Endowments Minister Anam Rannarayana Reddy with gathering feedback from devotees across all temples to improve overall experiences.
The CM also participated in the annual Brahmotsavams by staying overnight to offer 'Pattu Vastralu' (silk robes) to Lord Venkateswara. He also launched the TTD calendar and diary for 2025, marking another initiative to enhance the temple's engagement with its devotees.