Rs 30 cr more in SGPC budget

The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) has passed its Rs 286-crore budget for 2006-07. The proposed budget is Rs 30 crore more than the one for 2005-06.

In the budget, the SGPC has earmarked Rs 24 crore for the General Board Fund, an increase of Rs 3 crore more than the last financial year, while it has allocated Rs 4.46 crore for the trust fund.

Also, it has allocated Rs 5.30 crore for the Sikh Historical Research Fund, and Rs 2.65 lakh for the Gurbani and Gurmati lecture fund. And to help the victims of natural disasters, it has allocated Rs 4 crore.

But as compared to last financial year, where it has allocated Rs 7.25 crore towards education fund, while in the current Budget, 2006-07, it has earmarked Rs 7 crores towards education fund, a Rs 25 lakh less than the financial year. 2005-06.

The budget has provision to upgrade 47 schools run by SGPC and allocated a sum of Rs 36.04 crore for the purpose. The SGPC has made a provision of Rs 10 crore in the present SGPC budget for the Guru Granth Sahib World Sikh University to be set up at Fatehgarh Sahib.

"The Architects are busy in finalizing the model of the university and the first block of the university would be ready by the end of this year, said Avtar Singh Makkar, president SGPC, while talking to the media persons. He said that it would be a unique university having all the modern facilities and latest syllabus.

For, Printing Press, SGPC has earnmarked 5.17 crore. It includes an allocation of Rs 4.15 crore for a golden offset press. The press has been running round-the clock to meet the increasing demand for the volumes of Guru Granth Sahib.

It has also decided to spend Rs 40 crore for religion promotional activities. Towards promotional activities, it would spend Rs 1.60 crore in Punjab, Rs 17.50 lakh for Himachal Pradesh Sikh Mission, Rs 6.90 lakh for Rajasthan Sikh Mission, for Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh Sikh Mission, it has allocated Rs 1.10 crore.

Also, it has allocated Rs 169 crores for the gurudwara falling under Sri Gurudwara (Shrine Act-85). While in financial year, 2005-06, it has allocated Rs 151 crore towards this fund. It includes, a budgetary allocation of Rs 64 crore for maintenance of Golden Temple.

It is expected that in the financial year, the earnings from Golden Temple Parsaad would touch Rs. 13 crore and the shops run by SGPC, could fetch a income of Rs 10 lakh. Also, the SGPC has decided to spend the entire collection from the historic gurdwaras in Haryana in the development of Sikh shrines there.