Lok Sabha Question No. 3553 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-11
Subject: Seva Bhoj Yojana
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri Kota Srinivasa Poojary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3553 ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025

## SEVA BHOJ YOJANA

## 3553.    SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY:

Will the MINISTER OF CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the objectives, scope and criteria for financial assistance under Seva Bhoj Yojana;
- (b) the details of the number of religious and charitable institutions registered so far under Seva Bhoj Yojana;
- (c) whether the funds allotted by the Government are disbursed on time under the said Yojana; and
- (d) the  details  of  the  names  of  the  States  where  religious  and  charitable  institutions  have  taken maximum benefit of this scheme, State-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a)  The  objective,  scope  and  criteria  for  financial  assistance  under  the  Seva  Bhoj  Yojana  is  at Annexure-I .
- (b)    The  details  of  Religious  and  Charitable  Institutions  registered  and  benefitted  so  far  under  the Scheme are given as under:-
- i. Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar
- ii. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Tirupati
- iii. Sri Venkateswara Annaprasadam Trust, Tirupati
- iv. Dreams & Beauty Charitable Trust, Ludhiana
- v. Durgiana Temple, Amritsar
- (c) It has been the constant endeavor of the Government to ensure timely disbursement of the financial assistance to the selected beneficiary institutions of all States/UTs on receipt of requisite documents from these institutions and depending upon the budgetary allocation made against the scheme.
- (d)  The details of the States where religious and charitable institutions have taken maximum benefit of this scheme since inception of the Seva Bhoj Yojana are at Annexure-II .

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## Annexure referred to in Reply to Part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3553 for 1108-2025

Objective of Seva Bhoj Scheme : Under the Scheme of 'Seva Bhoj Yojna' Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Central Government's share of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST)  paid  on  purchase  of  specific  raw  food  items  by  Charitable/Religious  Institutions  for distributing free food to public shall be reimbursed as Financial Assistance by the Government of India.

Scope of Seva Bhoj Scheme : This is a Central Sector Scheme for providing reimbursement of CGST and Central Government's share of IGST paid by charitable/religious institutions on purchase of specific raw food items for serving free food to public / devotees. The scheme shall be applicable only to such institutions which are eligible under the Scheme

## Criteria for Financial Assistance under Seva Bhoj Yojana :

(i)  A  Public  Trust  or  society  or  body  corporate,  or  organisation  or  institution  covered under the provisions of section 10 (23BBA) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (as amended from time to time) or registered under the provisions of section 12AA of the Income Tax Act, 1961, for charitable/religious purposes, or a company formed and registered under the provisions of section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 or section 25 of the Companies Act,  1956,  as  the  case  may  be,  for  charitable/  religious  purposes,  or  a  Public  Trust registered as such for charitable/religious purposes under any Law for the time being in force, or a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, for charitable/religious purposes.

(ii) The applicant Public Trust or society or body corporate, or organisation or institution, as the case may be, must be involved in charitable/religious activities by way of free and philanthropic distribution of food/prasad/langar(Community Kitchen)/ bhandara free of  cost  and  without  discrimination  through  the  modus  of  public,  charitable/religious trusts or endowments including maths, temples, gurdwaras, wakfs, churches, synagogues, agiaries or other places of public religious worship.

(iii)  The  institutions/organizations  should  have  been  in  existence  for  preceding  three years before applying for assistance.

(iv)  Only  those institutions  would  be  eligible  for  financial  assistance  which  have  been distributing free food, langar and prasad to public for at-least past three years on the day of application. For this purpose, entities shall furnish a self- certificate.

(v)  Financial  Assistance  under  the  scheme  shall  be  given  only  to  those  institutions which are not in receipt any Financial Assistance from the Central/State Government for the purpose of distributing free food: self- certificate.

(vi) The institutions shall serve free food to at least 5000 people in a calendar month.

(vii) The Institution/Organization blacklisted under the provisions of Foreign Contribution Regulation  Act  (FCRA)  or  under  the  provisions  of  any  Act/Rules  of  the  Central/State Government shall not be eligible for Financial Assistance under the Scheme.

## Annexure-II

## Annexure referred to in Reply to Part (d) of the Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3553 due for 11-08-2025

## (Rs.in lakhs)

|   Sl. No. | Financial Year   | Name of Organizations                                     | State          |   Fund Released |
|-----------|------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|----------------|-----------------|
|         1 | 2019-2020        | Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar | Punjab         |          171    |
|         1 | 2019-2020        | Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Tirupati                  | Andhra Pradesh |           19.63 |
|         1 | 2019-2020        | Sri Venkateswara Annaprasadam Trust, Tirupati             | Andhra Pradesh |            5.27 |
|         2 | 2020-2021        | Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)           | Punjab         |          159.39 |
|         2 | 2020-2021        | Dreams & Beauty Charitable Trust, Ludhiana                | Punjab         |            1.22 |
|         2 | 2020-2021        | Durgiana Temple, Amritsar                                 | Punjab         |            8.84 |
|         3 | 2021-2022        | Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)           | Punjab         |          149.83 |
|         3 | 2021-2022        | Dreams & Beauty Charitable Trust, Ludhiana                | Punjab         |            0.28 |
|         3 | 2021-2022        | Durgiana Temple, Amritsar                                 | Punjab         |            4.81 |
|         4 | 2022-2023        | Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)           | Punjab         |          140.44 |
|         4 | 2022-2023        | Dreams & Beauty Charitable Trust, Ludhiana                | Punjab         |            0.8  |
|         4 | 2022-2023        | Durgiana Temple, Amritsar                                 | Punjab         |            1.76 |
|         5 | 2023-2024        | Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)           | Punjab         |          142.12 |
|         5 | 2023-2024        | Durgiana Temple, Amritsar                                 | Punjab         |            3.88 |
|         6 | 2024-2025        | Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)           | Punjab         |          128.71 |
|         6 | 2024-2025        | Durgiana Temple, Amritsar                                 | Punjab         |           15.53 |
|         6 | 2024-2025        | Dreams & Beauty Charitable Trust, Ludhiana                | Punjab         |            1.3  |