Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Patiala, July 3: The move of the SGPC to appoint a Chief secretary , on a hefty lump-sum salary of Rs. 3,00,000/- ( 3 Lac per Month), over and above the three full time secretaries, ten additional Secretaries and a huge battery of Deputy Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries in the Secretariat of the SGPC, is outrageous and absolutely unpardonable. The per month salary packages of Cabinet Secretary to Government of india who draws Rs. 90,000 basic plus 113% DA, the gross salary comes about to Rs. 1,90,000/- approximately, the Chief Secretary to Government of Punjab draws Rs. 80,000 basic plus 113% DA, as such the gross salary comes to Rs. 1,65,600/- approximately, whereas the lump sum salary package of Rs 3,00,000/- per month offered to the Chief Secretary of the SGPC as advertised with the post in the print media, is ridiculously exorbitant and higher than these two top bureaucrats, which is certainly unjustifiable .
Who is this overpriced ‘gentleman’ for whom such an ‘out of the box’ provision is being made in the SGPC? Sources close to the SGPC revealed that ‘Badal Family’ has already chosen a former Banke, who served in a Nationalized Bank on a position at Zonal level and hugely benefited the Badal family in their business ventures.
It’s pertinent to mention here that Mr. Manjit Singh Calcutta who has earlier served as Chief Secretary SGPC, during the Presidency of Late Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra used to accept one Rupee only per month, as a token salary. And that even he used to put in Guru Ki Golak there and then.
The strength of the treasure of the SGPC is based on the daily offerings of the devotees in SGPC controlled Gurdwaras and this accumulated collection constitutes the Guru Ki Golak (The Guru’s Bursary). Therefore it cannot be allowed to squander in an utterly brazen manner at the whims and fancies of the ruling Badal family. Sikhs would not allow such a loot of the resources of the community and the SGPC funds, to accommodate a particularly professed ‘pet favorite’ of the Badals. There is no dearth of competent devout Sikhs in the community, in all spheres of life who would be more than willing to serve selflessly and dedicate their services without expecting any remuneration and materialistic gain. Let us give a call to the community rather than appointing a greedy profiteer to the job.
By appointing the Chief Secretary at the helms of the affairs of the SGPC would amount to dilute the powers and the responsibilities of the fifteen member’s executive of the SGPC, meaning thereby the SGPC funds would be directly controlled by the Badal family through the office of the Chief Secretary. Then the job of the redundant SGPC executive would be confined only to affix a formal seal on all the decision taken by Badals through their handpicked Chief Secretary. The appointment of Chief Secretary of the SGPC shall not only be a colossal burden on the exchequer of the SGPC, it would also undermine the authority of the executive of the SGPC, that consists of President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President, General Secretary and eleven members, which is the supreme executive authority to run all the affairs of the SGPC as entailed by the Gurdwara Act. The age old institutions of the Sikh community and their established grandeur cannot be allowed to throw to the winds, in utter disregard of the comprehensive interest of the Sikh community.
