Chief Khalsa Dewan passes annual budget

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 19

The Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) today passed over Rs 158.40 crore budget for financial year 2017-18, which indicates 19.40 per cent increase from the last fiscal. The CKD budget was Rs 127.66 crore last year.

A meeting of general body was organised at gurdwara Sri Kalgidhar Sahib to present the budget of schools, colleges and other institutions run under Chief Khalsa Diwan Charitable Society.

The meeting was presided over by the CKD president, Charanjit Singh Chadha. The CKD honorary secretary, Narinder Singh Khurana, presented the budget.

In his report, Khurana stated that in the coming year Rs 31 crore would be invested for development of CKD schools, colleges and new educational projects earmarked in the budget. He said out this amount Rs 5 crore would be spent on the construction of new CKD School of Excellence at Shubam Enclave, Rs 5 crore for development of CKD rural schools and Rs 1.50 crore for CKD Charitable Hospital.

Moreover, Rs 15 crore was earmarked for Chief Khalsa Diwan University and Rs 9 crore for the purchase of land and building of one new CKD school at Sri Guru Ramdass Avenue, Ajnala Road, in the new CKD budget.

Another Rs 52 lakh was kept aside for religious activities of various CKD institutes, Rs 10 lakh for the purchase of traditional Tantisaaz, Rs 3.80 crore for Adarsh Schools handed over to CKD by the Punjab Government and Rs 25 lakh for sports promotion in CKD educational institutes.

Chadha said the CKD budget passed on March 31, 2005, was only Rs 16 crore.

Presently, the CKD management announced a budget of Rs 158 crore for the year 2017-18. He said increasing budget year by year exhibited real growth and development of CKD run institutions.

“The CKD has been successfully accomplishing the objective to equip all institutes with ultra-modern laboratories, well-stocked libraries, technologically advanced auditoriums and conference halls,” he added.

He also announced that the entire CKD records and documents, since its inception in 1902 to till date, would be digitised this year along with launching a new portal enabling society to share all its achievements and views world over.

The budget was approved and was considered conducive to the CKD for further development in the coming year. Among others, vice-president Dhanraj Singh and resident president Nirmal Singh along with CKD local committee heads of various locations and other members attended the meeting.