SGPC to renew ‘buta parshad’ contract

Amritsar : The newly elected SGPC executive body is set to renew its contract with the Forest Department for getting saplings for “buta parshad”, an initiative under the Nanhi Chhaan project running from the Golden Temple premises.
The initiative was launched in 2009. The SGPC pays Rs 3.5 per plant to the Forest Department through Nanhi Chhaan Public Charitable Trust run by Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal. The four-year contract had lapsed in September this year.
SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh said formalities for extending the contract had been furnished. “We have approved the renewal of the contract. It will be done in a few days,” he said.
A counter was set up at the Golden Temple complex from where saplings are offered free of cost as “buta parshad” to devotees.
Rajesh Gulati, District Forest Officer, said a total of 4,99,282 saplings of different varieties had been supplied to the SGPC till date.
Harsimrat Kaur said: “Nanhi Chhaan has been creating awareness to bridge the gender ratio gap. According to the Census, the sex ratio in Punjab has improved from 798 to 846 in 2011. We have so far distributed more than 20 lakh saplings in Amritsar and Talwandi Sabo.”