The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board has cleared a Group Life Insurance Scheme under which families of pilgrims who die of natural causes at the hill shrine will receive Rs 2 lakh, a first of its kind among temple administrations in the country.
Until now, the cover applied only to devotees killed in accidents inside Tirumala or on the Ghat roads that climb from Alipiri. The board has widened the scope to include deaths from sudden medical emergencies during the pilgrimage.
TTD Chairman BR Naidu, with Executive Officer Muddada Ravichandra, announced the welfare measures at Annamayya Bhavan on Wednesday (9 September) after a board meeting.
For its own staff, the board raised accident insurance for families of employees who die on duty in Tirumala from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Employees Health Scheme benefits have also been extended to retired CPS and NPS pensioners on the same footing as OPS beneficiaries.
The initiative will be implemented in association with the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), with TTD bearing the insurance premium. The Governing Council has allocated Rs 2.12 crore from TTD’s funds to facilitate this arrangement with LIC.
When a temple becomes a shield for the pilgrim’s family, even death finds compassion in devotion. Follow Dharmic News for more updates on Hindu community issues and global affairs.
