TTD to procure sarees, shawls from APCO

TTD will source sarees, shawls, and other textile materials worth ₹43 crore from APCO (Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society) and Co-optex (Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society)

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has taken a significant step to overhaul its textile procurement system following last year’s controversy over the supply of silk shawls. In a move aimed at ensuring transparency and quality in temple purchases, the temple administration has decided to procure textiles exclusively from government-run cooperative organizations.

Under the new policy, TTD will source sarees, shawls, and other textile materials worth Rs 43 crore from APCO (Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society) and Co-optex (Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society). The procurement will be carried out in a 50:50 ratio between the two government enterprises.

TTD officials said the decision to adopt a multi-vendor procurement system was taken to prevent supply disruptions and ensure consistent quality. As part of the process, TTD Assistant Executive Officer Venkayya Chowdary recently held discussions with representatives from APCO and Co-optex. Both organizations reportedly agreed to supply textiles that meet the quality standards prescribed by the temple administration.

With this decision, textiles required for Lord Venkateswara and other deities in temples under TTD will now be sourced entirely from government-supported handloom cooperatives, strengthening both transparency and support for traditional weavers.

The policy shift comes in the wake of a major procurement controversy that surfaced last year involving silk shawls supplied to TTD. The temple administration discovered that a private vendor, who had been contracted to supply mulberry silk shawls, allegedly delivered low-quality polyester shawls instead.

Investigations revealed that shawls worth roughly Rs 350-Rs 400 were being purchased at a price of Rs 1,389 per piece since 2015, raising serious concerns over procurement practices. Following these findings, TTD lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which brought the irregularities into the public domain. In response to the scandal, the temple trust decided to implement stricter procurement measures to prevent similar irregularities in the future.

TTD requires a substantial quantity of textiles each year for rituals, temple services, and religious offerings. At the Tirumala temple alone, the annual requirement includes approximately 65 pure zari Melchat-Uttariyam sets and 1,080 silk sarees.

In addition, temples under the TTD administration require around 320 Melchat sets and hundreds of silk sarees annually. The institution also procures large volumes of other textiles, including 36,000 silk shawls, 60,000 polyester shawls, 10.8 lakh cotton garments, and about 9 lakh cotton blouse pieces every year.

Officials said the entire requirement will now be jointly met by APCO and Co-optex, ensuring standardized quality, better accountability, and support for the handloom sector.