Surat coffers

The trust fund or corpus of the Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) Funds and Properties has risen to Rs 101,168,296 over last year’s balance of Rs 98,597,635, as indicated their audited statement of accounts for the year ended March 31, 2005, forwarded to Parsiana by SPP president Darayas Master. The income during the year of Rs 23,730,741 accrues largely from investments Rs 7,293,067, rents Rs 692,592 and donations Rs 507,118. The total expenditure of Rs 23,730,741 is incurred mainly on the following heads — educational Rs 11,990,928, medical relief Rs 1,258,390, relief of poverty Rs 1,045,506.

Among the educational institutions run by the SPP are the Surat Parsi Orphanage where the highest amount, Rs 782,953 is spent on diet followed by Rs 201,849 on salaries. At the Nariman Girls Orphanage too the highest, Rs 925,199 is spent on dietary expenses with Rs 339,300 on salaries. While the corpus of the Boys Orphanage stands at Rs 9,578,438 as compared to Rs 9,014,658 last year, the corpus of the Girls Orphanage stands at Rs 11,105,356 as compared to Rs 10,559,502 last year. The Boys Orphanage received Rs 467,632 by way of donations, but the Girls Orphanage received barely Rs 13,331 as donations during the year.

The Bai P. M. Patel Singanporwala English School functions with a corpus of Rs 479,811 as compared to Rs 407,166 last year. Their major expenses are Rs 686,584 on salaries, Rs 226,854 on dearness allowance and Rs 114,454 on provident fund. Likewise the Seth K. H. Alpaiwala Industrial Institute for Parsi Women and Girls showed an increase in corpus from Rs 175,435 to Rs 178,855 with the largest expenditure incurred on salaries Rs 29,532 from their educational expenses totaling Rs 37,835.

Decrease in the cost of Units and the cost of Government Bonds has resulted in the lowering of the corpus of the Seth Sorabji Nauserwanji Parukh Polytechnic Institute from Rs 137,405 in the previous year to Rs 108,507. To offset the deficit of Rs 158,910 the interest on securities standing to the credit of Seth Maneckji Cooper Trust Account amounting to Rs 203,726 was credited to this account in the balance sheet and expenses were also charged proportionately. Likewise the First Dastur Mehrji Rana Trust Fund which extends scholarships and educational fees saw a lowering of its corpus from Rs 1,057,533 to Rs 1,050,484.

Looking after the medical needs of the community are the Seth R. D. Tarachand Parsi General Hospital, the Bai G. N. Mehta Maternity Hospital and the Nariman Home and Infirmary. The corpus of the Tarachand Hospital rose from Rs 23,206,628 to Rs 24,270,227. Of the total Rs 1,905,710 spent on medical relief the major heads are salaries Rs 700,108, committee expenses Rs 288,841, diet expenses Rs 225,609 and honorarium Rs 205,319. The Mehta Parsi Maternity Hospital too showed a decrease in the corpus amount from Rs 63,557 to Rs 58,896. The main items included in their expenses are medicines, Rs 30,169 and honorarium, Rs 22,353. The corpus of the Nariman Home increased from Rs 32,639,625 to Rs 33,441,957. Medical expenses listed showed the highest amount of Rs 446,607 on salaries and Rs 130,756 on honorarium. Medical treatment charges totaled Rs 134,371.

The Dastur Darab Pahlana Trust Fund which showed its corpus unaltered at Rs 1,086,673 extends help for medical relief, relief of poverty and other charitable objects. The Sorabji Burjorji Dastur Darab Pahalana Trust indicating a marginal improvement in its corpus from Rs 1,617,780 to Rs 1,623,543 uses its funds for relief of poverty as also other charitable objects, educational and medical relief.