Culture Ministry to coordinate Guru’s birth anniv celebrations

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 15

The National Implementation Committee, headed by PM Narendra Modi, has tasked the Ministry of Culture to coordinate with various ministries and departments with regard to the forthcoming celebrations of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

The Centre has decided to commemorate the anniversary with events across globe. The celebrations will kick off next year.

As the celebratory chores involve various ministries, the Culture Ministry has been chosen as the nodal authority to coordinate the affairs and inform the implementation committee of the progress during its next meeting.

The committee had met last week under the chairmanship of Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Punjab leaders, including former CM Parkash Singh Badal, who were recently appointed as members of the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust, had also attended the meeting.

The Punjab Government has submitted a proposal to the Centre regarding projects and cultural activities worth Rs 2,145 crore ( Rs 1,050 core for institutional and infrastructure development and Rs 1,095 crore for propagating ideals of Guru Nanak) for the anniversary celebrations. The projects concern a cross-section of ministries and departments.

During the meeting, the House was informed about the state’s proposals. The Culture Ministry will coordinate with ministries and authorities concerned to study the feasibility of the state’s proposals, besides considering other suggestions.

Badal had suggested that the city of Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district, to which the guru was associated, should be the focus of celebrations. He also suggested that the city be painted white.

The agenda of the meeting included upcoming centenary of Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which will be commemorated by the Centre.

Besides, the committee has directed the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust to hold a meeting soon with regard to preparations for the centenary.