TTD urges millers to supply top quality rice for Anna Prasadam

By Sandeep Raghavan

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is taking measures to ensure that only superior-quality rice is used in the preparation of Anna Prasadam (sanctified food) distributed to devotees visiting Tirumala.

TTD additional executive Officer Ch Venkaiah Chowdary urged rice millers from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to supply high-quality rice during a meeting held at the Padmavathi Rest House auditorium in Tirumala on Thursday. He outlined the steps to be taken to ensure that rice supplied to the TTD meets the prescribed standards under the supervision of the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Rice Millers’ Association.

The additional EO directed the Anna Prasadam department officials to conduct thorough checks and examine the quality of rice both before and after cooking.

“Rice millers must submit a monthly schedule for rice supply to TTD officials. This will enable the authorities to make planned arrangements based on the needs of devotees,” Venkaiah Chowdary said.

The TTD requires approximately 20,000 kg (20 tonnes) of rice daily for the preparation of Anna Prasadam in Tirumala, Tiruchanur, and other local temples. Currently, rice is being supplied by millers in a 60:40 ratio from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Venkaiah Chowdary further stated that a monthly Anna Prasadam quality survey would be conducted by Srivari Sevakulu (volunteer service personnel). “Based on the feedback from devotees, necessary measures will be taken to further improve the rice quality,” he added.

Following the meeting with rice millers, representatives from Gubba Cold Storage Infra gave a presentation on developing TTD’s cold storage facility.

The additional EO instructed officials to study the proposal and prepare plans for implementing improved storage facilities in coordination with the state warehousing corporation, food safety and standards authority of India (FSSAI), and central food technological research institute (CFTRI).

This article has been republished from The Times of India.