The Tirumamala Tirupati Devasthanam (Lord Balaji) is the richest Hindu shirine in the world. It pays more than Rs hundred crore GST annually. This has become a burden for the temple during pandemic times, so the YSRCP has demanded exemption from GST for temples, especially Lord Balaji temple of Tirumala. Its parliamentary party chief Vijay Sai Reddy raised the issue in Rajya Sabha. Reddy said: “Before the GST regime, all the endowment activities in Andhra Pradesh used to be exempted. The BJP claims that it’s the torch bearer of Hindus and Hindu temples. Temples enjoyed exemptions from taxes prior to the GST regime. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (Lord Balaji temple) pays Rs 120 crore annually. They can claim Rs 11 crore as exemptions. The ingredients of the “prasadam” are also taxed under GST. The GST charges service taxes for the cottages where pilgrims usually stay.” Reddy also raised various issues related to the bifurcation of the state.
TTD chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy also raised the same issue with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman when he met her. Y.V. Subba Reddy has requested the Centre to exempt the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) from the burden of GST on the services of the Special Protection Force (SPF) from April 1, 2014 to September 30, 2020. He informed Sitharaman that the amount would help the TTD pursue its social, economic and spiritual activities. There has been no assurance from the Centre on the issue of whether it will exempt Lord Balaji of Tirupati from GST or not.
