Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has welcomed the Centre’s decision to celebrate the 550th Birth Anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji on a grand scale, globally, and has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for acceding to his personal requests in this regard.
In a statement issued here, Captain Amarinder hailed the resolution passed by the Union Cabinet to celebrate the historic occasion in a befitting manner, in response to the various letters and submissions he had made to the prime minister on this issue.
The Chief Minister, in particular, welcomed the approval accorded by the Union Cabinet to the building and development of the Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to the international border, in order to facilitate pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of the Ravi river, in Pakistan, where Shri Guru Nanak Devji spent eighteen years. The move would facilitate lakhs of pilgrims desirous of visiting the Kartarpur gurdwara, said Captain Amarinder, hoping that the Pakistan government would also supplement the effort by opening the corridor on its side of the boundary.
Captain Amarinder also expressed happiness at the Cabinet’s decision to develop the historic town of Sultanpur Lodhi, associated with the life of Shri Guru Nanak Devji, as a heritage town, on the lines of a Smart City.
Amarinder also appreciated the various other decisions of the Cabinet to promote the ideology and message of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, including the development of Pind Babe Nanak da museum, upgradation of Sultanpur Lodhi railway station, creation of Centre for inter-faith studies and Chairs in foreign Universities, release of commemorative coin and postage stamps etc, as was demanded by the state government in its memorandum to the centre.
The Chief Minister lauded the Centre’s decision to celebrate the event through a series of activities across the country and globally. These measures would give a significant boost to the state government’s plans and programmes to commemorate the auspicious occasion through year-long celebrations, which he was all set to kick off on Friday, to coincide with Gurpurab, said Captain Amarinder.
The chief minister urged the centre to release funds for the approved projects at the earliest to facilitate their completion in a year’s time.
