SGPC clears Rs1,386.47-crore annual budget

Amid protests by Damdami Taksal and other Sikh organisations outside and in-house dissent by a section of Opposition members over the removal and appointment of Takht jathedars, allegedly in an arbitrary manner, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday tabled an annual budget of Rs 1,386.47 crore for the financial year 2025-26.

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This is an increase of 9.95 per cent from the last year’s budget of Rs 1,260.97 crore.

SGPC general secretary Sher Singh Mand presented the budget with the details of the income and expenditure, which was passed by the general house at Teja Singh Samundri Hall.

Besides, focus on education, especially in the medical field, special thrust was on religious preaching.

A sum of Rs 110 crore has been spared for the Dharam Prachar Committee, whereas the budget of gurdwara affairs is Rs 1,062 crore. The expenditure covers Amrit Sanchar, religious education, free Gurmat literature, religious campaigns, religious congregations, centenary celebrations, Sikh missions and management of historical gurdwaras. This budget head would also include Rs 40 crore for salaries of office staff, Sikh missions, Gurmat missionary colleges and schools, religious teachers, Panj Pyare Sahibaan, preachers, poets, and dhadis.

Around Rs 1.95 crore has been kept for giving free kakaars (symbols of faith) for Amrit Sanchar, Rs 1.14 crore for a religious preaching campaign.

For baptised students, Rs 2.63 crore has been reserved for the ongoing Nishchai Academy programme to prepare them for administrative and judicial services-related competitive exams.

“To provide free education to Sikh children, we have kept Rs 8.40 crore, Rs 3.09 crore for sports, Rs 60 lakh for Sikligar Sikhs, Rs 2.50 crore for meeting education fee of Amritdhari students, Rs 2 crore for free education to Amritdhari girls, Rs 8 crore for Miri Piri Medical College, Haryana and Rs 8 crore for Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University. We have 100 medical seats at Sri Guru Ram Das Dental College, Amritsar. we will admit medical students at Miri Piri College where we already have sanction for 100 seats,” he said.

Jathedars skip proceedings

In an unprecedented development, Takht Jathedars, including Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, were conspicuous by their absence.