CHANDIGARH, Punjab—Acting upon the appeal made SGPC President Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar, the Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh has written a letter to the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking GST exemption on ‘Langar’ (Free Community Kitchen). Notably, the SGPC President Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar has been making efforts by contacting the Indian government to waive off GST on materials being purchased for ‘langar’ in Sikh shrines.
A Punjab government’s official told Sikh24 that Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has apprised the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley about exempting Sikh shrines from VAT (Value Added Tax) before imposition of GST.
“The levy of GST on goods purchased by these institutions was not fair as they did not have any source of income and were being run and managed through donations,” Amarinder said in the letter.
Meanwhile, President of Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) Paramjit Sarna has criticized the SGPC for taking GST account number. He has said that imposition of GST on religious bodies was not fair at all as these bodies run on donations. He has said that his party was ready to support SGPC if it will honestly commence struggle against imposition of GST on religious bodies.
