SGPC to cut expenses as donations fall drastically

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 18

The SGPC has decided to take several austerity measures in view of the drastic decline in its income due to fall in the number of devotees amid lockdown.

An executive body meeting, chaired by SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal, was held at Sri Guru Ram Dass Medical University here today.

An official said since the curfew was imposed in the state, the Golden Temple’s golak received only Rs10,000 to Rs15,000 per day against the daily collection of Rs20-25 lakh. Even online donations had dipped drastically, he said.

The executive constituted a panel to analyse the financial condition of the apex body, dharam parchar wing, gurdwaras and educational institutions under its control.

It was unanimously decided to shelve the SGPC members’ discretionary quota fund of Rs3 lakh each for a year and also put a cap on monetary assistance to anyone for three months.

Meanwhile, the Sikh body has decided to intervene in the matter of exclusion of Amritsar from the Delhi-Katra expressway project. Longowal said they would approach Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to appeal him to include the holy city in the project.