Tirupati MLA K Chiranjeevi has strongly opposed the proposal for transfer of all the educational institutions working under Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam to the state government. In an open letter to chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, he urged him to get the proposal scrapped and, instead, make efforts for strengthening the TTD-run educational institutions.
The actor-turned-politician said the TTD Specified Authority proposed to hand over all its educational institutions TTD to the state government in order to save an expenditure of Rs 50 crore. “The proposal made by the TTD Specified Authority is absurd. You are well aware that many government educational institutions are suffering fund crunch and students are facing difficulties due to untimely distribution of scholarships and reimbursement of tuition fee.
Under these circumstances, it is not advisable to transfer the TTD educational institutions to the government.” Chiranjeevi pointed out that TTD was availing tax exemption under Schedule 2 of the AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act for providing educational and medical services. He expressed apprehensions that in case the TTD Specified Authority decided to withdraw its services under these sectors, it had to pay more amount on taxes than the amount being spent on running these institutions.
He urged the chief minister to intervene and get the proposal scrapped before the students and faculty members launched an agitation.
The TTD is running 27 educational institutions including degree and junior colleges, and schools.
