Amritsar, March 28 The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Saturday passed a budget of ₹1,487.41 crore for the financial year 2026-27 amid religious slogans chanted by the members present.
The budget session, held at the headquarters of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) here, was presided over by SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami, with General Secretary Sher Singh Mandwala presenting the budget.
The budget marked an increase of 7.28 per cent compared to the previous year, officials said.
Presenting the budget, Mandwala shared income details from various departments and institutions, along with allocations for future initiatives.
He also highlighted the SGPC's contributions in religious affairs, education, propagation of Sikhism, and public welfare.
Speaking to the media later, Dhami said ₹33 crore has been allocated for the construction of new ‘sarais’ (inns) related to the Golden Temple here.
Efforts will be made to further strengthen healthcare and education services and achieve better outcomes in religious preaching, he said.
Sharing details, Dhami said ₹120 crore has been earmarked for the Dharam Prachar committee, while ₹1,127.34 crore has been allocated for gurdwaras.
Special funds have also been arranged for the General Board Fund, Trust Fund, education, sports, printing presses, and educational institutions.
Among the various provisions, ₹12.50 crore has been reserved for the free education of Sikh children, Dhami said.
The SGPC also passed resolutions on Sikh affairs during the budget session.
The House demanded the immediate reopening of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor in Pakistan, saying its closure due to tensions between the two nations has affected the religious sentiments of Sikhs deeply.
Another resolution criticised the Punjab government's handling of the proposed legislation on sacrilege.
The resolution noted that despite repeated incidents of desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, neither thorough investigations have been conducted nor exemplary punishments announced.
It termed the government's actions inadequate and procedural, alleging a lack of transparency and seriousness.
The SGPC also objected to any proposed amendment to the 2008 Jagt Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann recently said the state government will convene a special Assembly on April 13 to amend the 2008 Act to impose stricter punishment for sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and other religious texts.
The SGPC asked the government to ensure that the sentiments of the Sikh community are respected, and all information sought by it in this matter is promptly provided.
Condemning the prolonged detention of ‘Bandi Singhs’, the SGPC criticised both the Centre and state government for their “rigid” and “discriminatory” approach.
Bandi Singhs is the term for Sikh prisoners convicted during Punjab's militancy era. Although most prisoners have completed their sentences, some of them remain incarcerated, prompting calls for their release.
The SGPC noted that 14 years have passed since the petition for commutation of Balwant Singh Rajoana's death sentence was filed, yet no decision has been taken in the matter.
Expressing concern over the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI), the SGPC called upon the Centre to formulate a policy to prevent the spread of objectionable content hurting Sikh sentiments, with prompt directives to state governments.
Another resolution condemned incidents where Sikh students were forced to remove their articles of faith during competitive and other examinations, saying such actions hurt religious sentiments and adversely affect students' performance.
It demanded strict action against those responsible.
Another resolution urged the government of India to take effective diplomatic measures to address the issues faced by Sikhs living abroad, ensuring protection of their religious rights and preventing racial discrimination and violence.
It condemned recent incidents of opposition to ‘Nagar Kirtan’ in New Zealand and asked the Centre to take necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur again.
