SGPC budget tomorrow, to focus on education

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 27

The SGPC is all set to present its annual budget for 2017-18 on March 29. The focus will be on the promotion of education and the propagation of Sikh religion and its values.

The apex body had presented its annual budget of Rs 1,064.14 crore for 2016-17.

Sources said demonetisation had taken its toll on the donations leading to a fall in the gurdwaras’ income and this time, the annual budget too is not expected to see a raise in comparison to the last year.

It would be the first time since 2011 that the SGPC would conduct the general house to present the proposed budget. Due to Sehajdhari Sikhs’ voting rights’ row pending with legal implications, it was only the SGPC’s 2010 executive body, endorsed by the court, that used to discuss and announce the budget. Now that this bar is obsolete, the budget would be presented before the members in the general house meeting.

SGPC’s general secretary Amarjit Singh Chawla said the centre of attention would be the Sikh youth and steps would be taken to channelise their energy in the right direction. Special funds have been kept to elevate the education standard. A sum of Rs 1.5 crore has been spared for the Armed Force Training Academy at Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College. It has been learnt that the budget would include two solar plants of 500 kilowatt and 250 kilowatt to be set up in Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College and Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Polytechnic College, respectively. Funds to the tune of Rs 1 crore and Rs 2.66 crore, respectively, for both the institutes have been included in the budget.