SGPC’s support sought to celebrate 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev

Chandigarh, June 20

The Punjab Government has sought the support of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday asked a group of ministers (GoM) to approach the SGPC, the apex religious body of Sikhs, for support to celebrate the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev on a common platform.

Singh gave the directions during a meeting of the executive committee constituted to commemorate the birth anniversary, an official statement said here.

The CM expressed his keenness to celebrate the event in unison with the participation of the SGPC and other religious organisations, in line with Guru Nanak Dev’s message of love, peace, harmony and brotherhood.

Amarinder Singh mandated the GoM to extend a formal invite to the Akal Takhat Jathedar and the SGPC president to seek their whole-hearted support, cooperation and guidance.

The GoM comprising Punjab ministers Charanjit Singh Channi, O P Soni and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was constituted to review the day-to-day progress on preparations, development projects and schemes associated with the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. 

Amarinder Singh directed the chief secretary to finalise the modalities and funding pattern for the proposed “Guru Nanak Devji Marg” passing through Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala, Kartarpur, Beas, Mehta, Batala and Dera Baba Nanak, covering 136 kilometres and involving an expenditure of Rs 96.15 crore.

The chief minister also asked the special chief secretary (local government) to vigorously pursue the proposal for the inclusion of Sultanpur Lodhi heritage city under the Smart City project, for which the state government had already submitted a plan to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

The chief minister was also apprised of the progress on a tented city, to be erected at a cost of Rs 52.84 crore to provide accommodation at three locations in Sultanpur Lodhi to devotees. 

Lakhs of pilgrims from all over the world are expected to visit Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district, where Guru Nanak Dev stayed for several years.

Expressing satisfaction over the pace of the execution of development works by the Local Government and PWD Departments, the chief minister asked the chief secretary to regularly monitor the progress of the works to ensure their timely completion before the mega celebrations at Sultanpur Lodhi on November 12 this year. 

The chief minister launched commemorative medallions to mark the celebrations.

Last November, India and Pakistan had agreed to set up a corridor linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, with the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district. 

Kartarpur Sahib is located in Pakistan’s Narowal district across the Ravi river, about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak gurdwara in Indian Punjab. — PTI