Amritsar, March 30
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) today tabled an annual budget of Rs 988.15 crore for 2022-23, it being higher than the anticipated income of Rs 958.45 crore from various sources.
The SGPC alleged the state government’s non-cooperative policies towards its educational institutions had led to a deficit of nearly Rs 29.70 crore.
SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said Rs 231.83 crore would be needed to run educational institutions, whereas the income was just Rs 203.60 crore. Similarly, nearly Rs 7.67 crore has to be spared for the printing presses against the income of Rs 6.20 crore.
He slammed the state for not releasing the “genuine” funds meant for its aided staff and the SC students’ scholarships for the past few years. “Had these funds been cleared,
the financial position of our educational institutions would have been better,” he said.
According to the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, the SGPC can only take 38 per cent of the total revenue from gurdwaras, including the Golden Temple and other Takhts. “During the Covid crisis, the gurdwara income was miniscule, yet the SGPC never stepped back from providing free medical aid and vaccination, besides serving other humanitarian and social causes,” he said.
The main thrust of the budget was on education and health sector, besides “dharam parchar” (propagation of the Sikh religion). Under social service, four special medical stores will be opened on the premises of Akal Takht (Amritsar), Takht Kesgarh Sahib (Anandpur Sahib), Takht Damdama Sahib (Talwandi Sabo) and Gurdwara Bir Baba Budha Sahib Thatha (Tarn Taran). The needy patients will get medicine at subsidised rates. Similarly, on the lines of Mata Sahib Kaur Girls College Talwandi Sabo, another batch of 200 Gursikh girls will be imparted free education, boarding and lodging at Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib.
Besides, a budget of Rs 5.58 crore has been kept for supporting the poor and needy, Rs 3.69 crore for memorials, Rs 50 lakh for supporting Sikligar and Vanjara Sikhs, and Rs 96 lakh to meet natural disasters.
Similarly, a special fund has been kept aside for gurdwaras in and outside Punjab, printing religious literature, supporting Dharmi Faujis and their families, pursuing cases of Sikh prisoners lodged in jails, for supporting the families affected by the Delhi Sikh genocide, and education of children.
The first centenary of Shaheedi Saka (martyrdom massacre) of Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib (now in Pakistan) will be observed with full grandeur on October 30 and a budget of Rs 1.75 crore has been earmarked for it.
The meeting was attended by 101 SGPC members.
- Rs958.45 cr anticipated income
- Rs29.70 cr deficit
- Rs231.83 cr for edu institutes
- Rs7.67 cr for printing presses
- Rs5.58 cr aid to support poor
- Rs1.75 cr earmarked for the centenary of the martyrdom massacre of Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib (now in Pakistan)
- Rs3.69 cr for various memorials
- Rs50 lakh for backing Sikligar, Vanjara Sikhs
- Rs96 lakh earmarked for natural disasters
FDs, bank interest lifeline
The government policies aren’t helpful. FDRs (fixed deposit receipts) or the bank interests on our deposits are the lifeline. Otherwise, there is no source to bridge the deficit as of now. — Harjinder S Dhami, SGPC prez
SGPC passes Rs988-cr budget
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