Hyderabad: In a landmark decision, the Telangana State Department of Taxation has mandated the exclusive use of Vijaya Dairy’s ghee in all temples across the state for preparing laddus and other prasads. Effective January 1, 2024, temple authorities have been instructed to cancel existing ghee supply contracts with private entities to comply with this directive.
This move follows the controversy surrounding ghee tenders at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). On August 22, the Department of Religious Affairs had initially directed temples to use only Vijaya ghee, but several temples continued sourcing ghee from private suppliers. Notably, the Srisitaramachandraswamy temple in Bhadrachalam recently entered a contract with a private dairy, prompting scrutiny. Following media reports, a memo was issued to the temple’s EO, and Chief Secretary of Religious Affairs Shailaja Ramaiyar instructed all temple authorities to switch to Vijaya ghee.
At the Srilakshmi Narasimhaswamy temple in Yadagirigutta, a long-standing agreement with a local dairy is under review. Despite directives for full compliance, reports suggest some officials are considering sourcing ghee from multiple suppliers, raising questions about adherence to the government order.
This decision underscores the government’s commitment to standardizing practices and supporting state enterprises like Vijaya Dairy.
