On demand of the Punjabi Diaspora, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC) executive committee on Tuesday passed a resolution to demand direct flights from Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar, to foreign countries, including Canada, United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), etc.
Giving information about the decision taken in the executive committee meeting chaired by him, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said on the issue of launching direct flights to foreign countries to and from the Amritsar airport, the SGPC will contact Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minister of civil aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Dhami said in the recent past, Sikh leaders from Canada and the US have contacted the SGPC on this issue, which was taken seriously in the meeting.
“About 5 million Sikhs live abroad who have to face inconvenience due to non-availability of direct flights to Amritsar. Direct flights should be started from Amritsar to the US, Canada, European countries, Australia and the United Kingdom, and a resolution has been passed by the SGPC executive committee for the same. Soon the SGPC will meet the Prime Minister and the Union minister of civil aviation,” he added.
He said, “The annual budget session of the SGPC for 2022-23 will be held at its headquarters, Teja Singh Samundri Hall, on March 30. The committee also decided to continue annual assistance of ₹15 lakh to the All-India Pingalwara Charitable Society.”
{{/usCountry}}He said, “The annual budget session of the SGPC for 2022-23 will be held at its headquarters, Teja Singh Samundri Hall, on March 30. The committee also decided to continue annual assistance of ₹15 lakh to the All-India Pingalwara Charitable Society.”
{{/usCountry}}He said a committee was constituted to streamline the SGPC IT wing and its recommendations would be implemented.
The SGPC president said the approval was given to send 300 holy ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib as per the demand from Takht Hazur Sahib, Nanded. He said these holy ‘saroops’ will be sent in a special bus with due reverence and conduct to the ‘sangat’ of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
“The indifference of government on Sikh concerns is highly unfortunate and the Sikhs should get their rights as per the Constitution of the country. Sikh prisoners who have served three decades of imprisonment are not being released and some of them were even not granted parole,” said Dhami.
Lashing out at the Delhi government, he said, “The Kejriwal government of Delhi is adamant against the Centre’s decision of releasing Devinderpal Singh Bhullar and the SGPC will soon meet the Union home minister on this issue.” He also announced to send ration and supplies to the jails for Sikh prisoners on the occasions of Sangrand and Gurpurb.
During the meeting, approval was also given to provide a 3 per cent dearness allowance (DA) to the employees of the SGPC. Dhami said a special allowance of ₹1,000 will be given to the employees having salaries up to ₹20,000; ₹500 for a salary between ₹20,000 and ₹40,000.