Punjab News: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday laid the foundation stone for the “Shri Guru Ravidas Ji Bani Study Center” at Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar. Several prominent figures from the Sant Samaj, including Padma Shri Sant Niranjan Das Ji of Dera Sachkhand Ballan, were present on the occasion. The center will be developed as an important institution for the study and research of the life, Bani, philosophy, and teachings of Shri Guru Ravidas Ji.
The centre will be built at a cost of Rs 37 crore.
The Shri Guru Ravidas Ji Bani Study Centre will be built on a 10.4-acre site. The entire project will cost approximately ₹37 crore (approximately $37 million). Of this, ₹11 crore (approximately $1.1 million) has been spent on the land and ₹6 million (approximately $6 million) on necessary approvals. The Punjab government will bear the remaining cost of the centre’s construction.
The center will include a three-story administrative and teaching block. Separate three-story hostels for boys and girls will be built, each accommodating 54 students. A two-story building will also be constructed for faculty and staff. The entire center will cover an area of approximately 96,500 square feet.
It will become a major center for research and education
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that this center will promote extensive study and research on the teachings and thoughts of Shri Guru Ravidas Ji. Here, students and researchers will be able to understand the life, philosophy, and teachings of Guru Ravidas Ji. The government’s goal is to spread Guru Ji’s message of equality, humanity, and respect across the country and the world.
100 crore budget for the 650th Prakash Parv
This project is part of the year-long celebrations dedicated to the 650th birth anniversary of Shri Guru Ravidas Ji. The Punjab government has allocated a budget of ₹100 crore for these events. Under this initiative, 50 mobile vans are visiting approximately 13,000 villages across all 23 districts of Punjab, showing documentaries on the life, philosophy, and teachings of Guru Ravidas Ji.
The Chief Minister said that Guru Ravidas Ji spoke out against casteism, discrimination, and social discrimination and preached equality and humanity. The government is committed to building a society based on equality in accordance with his ideals.
Government’s emphasis on education
Bhagwant Mann said that education is the most powerful tool for transforming society and people’s lives. He cited improvements in Punjab’s school education, noting that the number of students passing the NEET from government schools has increased from 80 in 2021 to 881 in 2026.
The Chief Minister stated that the government’s goal is to ensure that every child, regardless of their economic status, has access to quality education and equal opportunities for advancement. He added that the Shri Guru Ravidas Ji Bani Study Center will play a vital role in connecting future generations with the teachings of the Guru.
Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Aman Arora, Tarunpreet Singh Saund, Mahinder Bhagat, Dr. Ravjot, Harbhajan Singh ETO, Lal Chand Kataruchak, Lok Sabha member Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal, MLA Balkar Singh, Inderjit Kaur Mann and many other dignitaries were present in the program.