Chandigarh, May 19: As part of its plan to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of the first Sikh Guru, the Punjab Government has decided to rename as “Guru Nanak Marg” the road/roads linking various places across the state, which had been blessed with the visits of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
The government has also decided to take up these places for special development, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh announced on Friday, while chairing a meeting of the Executive Committee constituted to finalise the modalities for the celebrations to be held on a global scale.
The Chief Minister also constituted a high-level committee to coordinate with various organisations to build public support for the mega celebration, which will be centred around the theme of ‘NANAK NAAM CHARDIKALA, TERE BHANE SARBAT DA BHALA’ – the essence of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji’s ideology of all pervasive love, harmony, peace, compassion and amity.
The committee has been tasked with collaborating with eminent experts and historians, as well as representatives of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and Sant Samaj. The committee comprises Cultural Affairs & Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, Cooperation Minister & MLA from Dera Baba Nanak Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and MLA from Sultanpur Lodhi Navtej Singh Cheema
The Chief Minister said he would soon write to his counterparts in other states, urging them to undertake special development of infrastructure in places visited by Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. He said he would also urge the chief ministers of these states to make suitable arrangements to facilitate devotees visiting their respective states, or those desirous of visiting Punjab from their states during the commemorative celebrations.
Captain Amarinder said he would also exhort the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, to take up the issue of sprucing up of religious shrines, associated with Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, with appropriate authorities in various countries visited by the first Sikh Guru.
Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting were Health Minister Brahm Mohindra, Rural Development & Panchayats Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, School Education Minister OP Soni, Jails & Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Higher Education Minister Razia Sultana, Sports Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, PWD & IT Minister Vijay Inder Singla, Media Advisor to CM Raveen Thukral, PPCC president & MP Sunil Jakhar, Acting Chief Secretary NS Kalsi, Principal Secretary to CM Tejveer Singh, Principal Secretary Cultural Affairs & Tourism Vikas Partap, Director Cultural Affairs & Tourism Shivdular Singh Dhillon, besides noted poet and Chairman Punjab Kala Parishad Surjit Patar.
