Chandigarh, February 3: Directing the completion of the Sri Guru Ravidass Memorial by June 2021, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday empowered Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism & Cultural Affairs, to issue administrative sanctions and make necessary expenditure for this purpose from the Memorial Foundation funds.
Chairing a virtual meeting, the Chief Minister, who is also the chairman of Sri Guru Ravidass Memorial Foundation, also asked the Principal Secretary, Public Works, to immediately start the work for strengthening and widening the 4 km stretch of the existing 10 feet wide road leading to the Memorial, in order to facilitate devotees to pay obeisance seamlessly there. He also directed augmentation of the drinking water supply facilities to meet the requirement of the local residents.
Director, Tourism & Cultural Affairs, has been designated as Chief Executive Officer of the Executive Committee to oversee the day to day progress on the work of the Memorial, which the Govt has so far spent Rs.58.35 crore on this project. On completion, it will cost Rs. 104 crore to the state government. The foundation stone of the project was laid on April 3, 2016.
The Punjab government has decided to set up the Sri Guru Ravidass Memorial Foundation at village Khuralgarh in Tehsil Garhshankar of Hoshiarpur district, where Guru Ravidass ji had spent the latter part of his life meditating. The site is referred to as ‘Taposthali’ of Guru ji.
Prominent amongst present at the meeting were Tourism & Cultural Affairs Minister-cum-Vice Chairman of the Foundation Charanjit Singh Channi, Industries & Commerce Minister Sunder Sham Arora, MLA Chabbewal Raj Kumar, MLA Mukerian Indu Bala, MLA Urmur Sangat Singh Gilzian, ACS Tourism & Cultural Affairs Sanjay Kumar, Principal Secretary Public Works Vikas Partap, Principal Secretary Finance KAP Sinha and Director Tourism & Cultural Affairs Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar.