AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which manages the functioning of Sikh shrines and educational institutes under it, passed an annual budget of Rs 1,205 crore for the financial year 2019-2020 on Saturday. The budget, dedicated to Guru Nanak’s 550 birth anniversary, was passed with voice vote amid religious sloganeering under the supervision of SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal.This was Longowal’s second budget as SGPC president and was presented by SGPC general secretary Gubachan Singh Karmuwal at the Teja Singh Samundari Hall in the SGPC complex. On the occasion, besides the Akal Takht jathedar, Golden Temple head granthi Giani Jagtar Singh and preachers Bhai Sultan Singh were also present.A few SGPC members also wanted to include a resolution on Bargari incident and reinstatement of 523 dismissed SGPC employees.The budget was divided into general board, trust and education funds and had earmarked Rs 72.50 crore, 50.60 crore and 37.40 crore, respectively. The other funds provisioned include Rs 7.65 crore for printing press, Rs 84 crore for the propagation of Sikhism, Rs 700 crore for gurdwaras under Section 85 of SGPC, Rs 13.36 crore for gurdwaras under the direct control of SGPC or attached with SGPC and Rs 238 crore for educational institutions.Talking to media persons later, Longowal said a large part of Dharam Parchar funds would be spent on functions held for celebration of the 550 birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at international level. “An amount of Rs 12.63 crore has been earmarked for functions to be held in November,” he said. Rs 14.5 crore has been earmarked for extending help to needy students and Sikligar Sikhs among others, he added. The SGPC would also build memorial gates in Sultanpur Lodhi , he said.The SGPC has also made provision of Rs 60 lakh for Khalsa sports, Rs 1 crore for Sikh sportspersons, Rs 2 crore for Army deserters, Rs 8 crore for Sikh missions, Rs 70 lakh each for research in Sikh history and for natural calamities.

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