The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Saturday passed a budget of Rs 1,487.41 crore for the financial year 2026-27.SGPC general secretary Sher Singh Mandwala presented the budget at a session held at the Teja Singh Samundri Hall in Amritsar. The session was presided over by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami.Presenting the budget, Mandwala said the outlay marked an increase of 7.28% over the previous year. Mandwala shared income details from various departments and institutions, along with allocations for future initiatives and also highlighted the SGPC’s contributions in religious affairs, education, propagation of Sikhism, and public welfare.Dhami later told the media that Rs 33 crore has been allocated for the construction of new ‘sarais’ (inns) near the Golden Temple. Efforts will be made to further strengthen healthcare and education services and achieve better outcomes in religious preaching, he said.Dhami further said that Rs 120 crore has been earmarked for the Dharam Prachar committee, while Rs 1,127.34 crore has been allocated for gurdwaras.Special allocation have also been made for the General Board Fund, Trust Fund, education, sports, printing presses, and educational institutions, he said.Among the various provisions, Rs 12.50 crore has been reserved for the free education of Sikh children, Dhami said. Panthic welfare gets Rs 7.61 crore, aiding Nihang Singh jathebandis, jailed Sikhs’ legal fees, Bandi Singhs’ honorariums, martyrs’ families, religious soldiers, Sikligar/Vanjara Sikhs, and village granthis.Story continues below this adOther provisions include Rs 13.25 crore for preaching, Rs 7 crore for centenary events, Rs 3.11 crore for sports, Rs 1.60 crore for disasters, and Rs 66.77 crore for institutions like Miri Piri Institute and Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University.Dhami highlighted offerings and dasvandh as primary revenue, crediting rising estimates to improved management. He noted the SGPC budget is just 0.9% of Punjab’s — akin to a municipal corporation— yet drives major works via Guru’s blessings.ResolutionsDuring its annual budget session, the SGPC adopted several resolutions on Sikh affairs, expressing deep concerns over threats to Sikh identity and government policies.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.Story continues below this adAnother 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.Story continues below this adOn Bandi Singh, the House condemned prolonged detentions, demanding commutation of Balwant Singh Rajoana’s sentence and release of Gurdeep Singh Khera, Jagtar Singh Hawara, Paramjit Singh Bheora, and others. It criticised both the Centre and state government for their “rigid” and “discriminatory” approach.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.