SGPC gives Rs 2 cr aid to flood-hit J&K Sikhs

Amritsar, Punjab: The SGPC has disbursed financial aid worth Rs 2 crore for the rehabilitation of Sikh families in the flood-affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

Diljeet Singh Bedi, SGPC additional secretary, in a statement, said they had kicked off the process to distribute aid to the affected Sikh families, which had been divided into three categories. “We are distributing cheques for Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 25,000 each to these families, depending upon the extent of damage caused to their houses,” he said.

Bedi said the SGPC had been running a relief camp at a gurdwara in Budgam ever since the tragedy struck the state, besides dispatching a huge quantity of relief material to the Kashmir valley.

In another development, the SGPC has sent 25 ‘birs’ of Guru Granth Sahib, 300 ‘gutkas’ of Gurbani, 10 harmoniums and five ‘tabla’ sets.

SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar today urged Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to waive off entertainment tax on the movie ‘Char Sahibzade’, which is based on the life of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons so that every Indian could watch it. He has also written a letter to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal requesting him to make the film tax free.

Source: The Tribune