The AP Telugu Academy is all set to function from Tummalagunta in Tirupati as its headquarters. This has been made possible with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) allotting a building to the academy.
The chairperson of the academy Nandamuri Lakshmi Parvati had, in her letter to the TTD, sought allotment of a building with all required facilities free of cost.
Conceding her request, the TTD allotted a two-storied building along with a spacious godown to the academy for a period of three years on a license fee of ₹10,000 a month.
Though the allotment was made last year the academy could not take possession of the building owing to non-sanctioning of funds by the State Finance Department and non - completion of certain formalities by the academy.
According to TTD rules, it is mandatory for the licensee to take possession of the allotted premises within fifteen days of the receipt of orders and pay six months of the license fees besides executing a license deed.
But the delay in sanctioning funds by the Finance Department rather forced Dr. Parvati to write a letter to TTD seeking time for the payment of security deposit of ₹60,000 equivalent to six months of the license fee, and permission to take over possession of the premises in the meantime.
Initially the TTD feared that any exemption in the case would turn into a precedent to others and spell troubles to it in the coming days. It also found that the letter didn’t carry any specific mention of the date or period for tendering the security deposit which in all likelihood had the potential to attract objections during the annual audit.
The TTD which brooded over the issue at length, finally decided to permit the academy to pay the mandatory security deposit at a later date with a rider that it be deposited within six months from the date of occupation of the building and also collect the license fee from November last.
On the other hand, the academy's plan to organise a grand inauguration of its headquarters building has been dampened with the second wave of covid ravaging the country.
