The Centre has disbursed Rs 6.61 crore since 2019-2020 under the Seva Bhoj Yojana, giving financial aid in form of tax reimbursements to charitable or religious organisations distributing free food, the government told Lok Sabha on Monday.
The reimbursement of Central GST and the Centre's share in Integrated GST is directly given to eligible institutions.
In a written reply to a question, Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy told Lok Sabha that charitable or religious institutions like gurdwaras, temples, mosques, churches etc are reimbursed on the purchase of specific raw food items for serving free food to the public or devotees.
He also said these institutions are required to distribute free food in the form of 'prasad', 'langar’/bhandara (community kitchen) to at least 5.000 people in a calendar month for at least three years.
In 2019-20, while Rs 4 crore was allotted to the Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Tirupati and Sri Venkateswara Annaprasadam Trust, Tirupati, only Rs 1.95 crore were disbursed.
In the next financial year, Rs 2.03 crore was allotted to the Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Dreams & Beauty Charitable Trust, Ludhiana and Durgiana Temple, Amritsar, but disbursal was of Rs 1.69 crore only.
The same institutions were allotted Rs 2.05 crore and Rs 3.05 crore in 2020-21 and 2021-22 but were disbursed Rs 1.54 crore and 1.43 crore respectively.
(Published 06 February 2023, 15:36 IST)
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