SGPC’s US projects fail to take off

SGPC’s US projects fail to take off
Perneet Singh/TNS

Amritsar, October 10
The SGPC's plan to set up a Sikh Mission and printing facility for Guru Granth Sahib in the US seem to have hit the roadblock.

SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said, "We have sent our case regarding the Sikh Mission to the RBI and other ministries concerned in the Union Government, but are yet to get a clearance."

The SGPC was contemplating to set up a Sikh Mission after taking over the National Gurdwara, located close to the White House in Washington DC. The gurdwara was in a financial crisis as its management had failed to pay back a loan of US$ 2 million and subsequently offered the SGPC to take its control on payment of loan. The SGPC needed to transfer funds to the US to bail out the gurdwara, but is still awaiting the clearance required from the RBI.

The idea of the Sikh Mission in the US was aimed at propagating Sikhism and helping the Sikhs settled abroad to deal with the problems they were facing on account of mistaken identity and security barriers.

Similarly, there has been no headway on proposal of setting up the printing facility for Guru Granth Sahib at North Carolina province in the US for the reasons best known to the SGPC.

Gurdwara Sahib Charlotte at North Carolina in the US had offered 2.5 acres to the SGPC for setting up the printing facility for Guru Granth Sahib. The project, which will cost the SGPC around Rs 5 crore, will be the first such facility outside India. It will enable the SGPC to facilitate 'birs' and other Gurmat literature in the US and Canada, both of which have the most Sikh population outside India. Earlier, the SGPC used to transport 'birs' of Guru Granth Sahib through chartered flights from the country.

The SGPC had even sent its delegations to the US twice to take an account of these projects.

Sikh Mission

To be set up after the SGPC takes over National Gurdwara, located near the White House, Washington DC

The Sikh body awaits the clearance required from the RBI for transferring money to the US

Aim: Propagating Sikhism and helping the Sikhs settled abroad to deal with the problems they were facing on account of mistaken identity and security barriers

Printing Facility

The SGPC plans to set up a printing facility for Guru Granth Sahib at North Carolina province in the US

Aim: It will enable the SGPC to facilitate 'birs' and other Gurmat literature in the US and Canada

Not good news. One of our local Gurudwara was eagerly waiting for the first Larrivaar saroop from this facility but now it seems like this will be a long time dream to become reality.

The best option: By Guru Sahib's Great Kirpa - Write a Saroop yourself.

I don't expect much from SGPC.

Kulbir Singh