Khuralgarh, FEB 6: The Punjab government has formally initiated a year-long schedule of religious and cultural programmes to mark the 650th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, while attending the 649th Parkash Purb celebrations at the sacred site of Khuralgarh, stated that the government would function as a facilitator for the directions provided by the Sant Samaj for these observances.
The commemorative year will feature a sequence of katha-kirtan programmes and state-sponsored conventions across Punjab. Infrastructure development remains a priority, with the Chief Minister mentioning the completion of a Rs 148 crore world-class memorial at Khuralgarh, which features an auditorium and the Minar-e-Begumpura. He noted that the new research center in Jalandhar would serve as a global lighthouse for studying the Guru’s bani.
“As guided by the Sant Samaj, the state government will organise a wide range of events to mark the 650th Parkash Purb of Sri Guru Ravidass Maharaj Ji. All of us are fortunate to have received this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” the Chief Minister said during his address.
He also mentioned that his government is duty-bound to ensure the well-being of the underprivileged in consonance with the Guru’s teachings.
The Chief Minister also spoke on the integration of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s ideology with the state’s educational reforms, specifically through the “Schools of Eminence” project. He noted that these institutions are designed to empower students from weaker sections of society by providing top-tier grooming for their futures.
Regarding the health sector, the Chief Minister said that approximately 65 lakh families are set to benefit from expanded insurance coverage. “Every family is now entitled to cashless treatment up to Rs 10 lakh. Earlier, this limit was Rs 5 lakh, which has now been doubled,” he noted. The ceremony concluded with a call for peace and progress, with several cabinet ministers and religious leaders in attendance to support the launch of the centenary celebrations.
