Amritsar March 31:
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee(SGPC) known as mini Parliament of Sikhs in its budget estimates for the financial year 2009-2010 has earmarked Rs 449 crore for promoting and carrying religious and educational activities. Last year the budget was Rs 386 crore.
The SGPC General Secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur presented the budget in the presence of SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, five Sikh head priests including the Jathedar Akal Takht Gyani Gurbachan Singh and adequate strength of SGPC members.
According to the copy of the budget SGPC this time has allocated Rs 31 crore for Genral Board funds, Rs 11 crore for Trust Funds, Rs 20 crore for education, Rs 4 crore for printing press and Rs 45 crore for promoting of Sikh religious activities.
However, under section 85 of Gurdwara Act, this time SGPC has earmarked Rs 272 crore for the management of Gurdwaras falling under the jurisdiction all over Punjab and Haryana and Rs 58 crore for educational institutions being run by the SGPC in Punjab and its neighboring state Haryana. Rs 1 crore has also been kept for the gratuity for the employees getting retirement form the educational institutions of the SGPC this year.
The SGPC President Makkar said that this year SGPC is determined to set up “Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University” at district Fetehgarh Sahib and total budget was earmarked last year for this purpose Rs 40 crore. The budget was passed amidst the chaos on Monday when SGPC member and leader of Haryana Gurdwara Committee Jagdish Singh Chinnda boycotted the budget session while saying SGPC was biased with the State of Haryana as not giving adequate attention for the educational institutions there. However, all the Punjab based SGPC members who were present in the budget session gave their consent.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee(SGPC) known as mini Parliament of Sikhs in its budget estimates for the financial year 2009-2010 has earmarked Rs 449 crore for promoting and carrying religious and educational activities. Last year the budget was Rs 386 crore.
The SGPC General Secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur presented the budget in the presence of SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, five Sikh head priests including the Jathedar Akal Takht Gyani Gurbachan Singh and adequate strength of SGPC members.
According to the copy of the budget SGPC this time has allocated Rs 31 crore for Genral Board funds, Rs 11 crore for Trust Funds, Rs 20 crore for education, Rs 4 crore for printing press and Rs 45 crore for promoting of Sikh religious activities.
However, under section 85 of Gurdwara Act, this time SGPC has earmarked Rs 272 crore for the management of Gurdwaras falling under the jurisdiction all over Punjab and Haryana and Rs 58 crore for educational institutions being run by the SGPC in Punjab and its neighboring state Haryana. Rs 1 crore has also been kept for the gratuity for the employees getting retirement form the educational institutions of the SGPC this year.
The SGPC President Makkar said that this year SGPC is determined to set up “Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University” at district Fetehgarh Sahib and total budget was earmarked last year for this purpose Rs 40 crore. The budget was passed amidst the chaos on Monday when SGPC member and leader of Haryana Gurdwara Committee Jagdish Singh Chinnda boycotted the budget session while saying SGPC was biased with the State of Haryana as not giving adequate attention for the educational institutions there. However, all the Punjab based SGPC members who were present in the budget session gave their consent.
