CHANIDIGARH: The Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Wednesday secured an approximately Rs.200 crore package for the development and up-gradation of the historic towns of  Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo.  The package comes as a part of the year long projects to commemorate the 300 th Guruta Gaddi Diwas of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.  
           

An assurance to Center's decision comes during a meeting of the Sub-Committee Chaired by Union Minister for Tourism & Culture Mrs.Ambika Soni with Punjab Chief Minster Mr. Parkash Singh Badal at Transport Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday morning.
           
Disclosing this here on Wednesday Media Advisor to Chief Minister Mr.Harcharan Bains said that the Centre had cleared the state government's entire proposal for the upgradation of the two holy towns.  This he said was in addition to the project to link Sri Anandpur Sahib and Sri Hazoor Sahib (Nanded) in Maharashtra via Talwandi Sabo as a National highway to be named after Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji. 

Ambika Soni informed in the meeting that the Ministry of Culture would soon put forth a comprehensive proposal relating to the development plan of these two historic towns before the Union Cabinet for final approval.   Mrs.Soni said that she had already discussed the entire proposal along with the prestigious project of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Marg linking Sri Anandpur Sahib to Nanded via Talwandi Sabo with the Union Home Minister Mr.Shivraj Patil who was the chairman of the National Committee on Guruta Gaddi Diwas celebrations.   Mrs.Soni assured the Chief Minister that she along with Mr.Patil would get the entire proposal through in the next meeting of the Union Cabinet.   She also pointed out that the Chief Ministers of Maharastra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh had already given their consent for Sri Guru Gobind Singh Marg.   Mrs.Soni made a special mention of political magnanimity of Mr.Badal in taking the opposition parties on board regarding the government's programme.  

Expressing his gratitude for the approval to the development and upgradation of these two historic towns, Mr.Badal said that he was personally indebted to the Centre on behalf of Punjabis for the whole hearted support and cooperation extended by GoI for this prestigious project. 

Taking part in the deliberations Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Mrs.Rajinder Kaur Bhattal appreciated Mr.Badal's initiative for seeking a special development package for the towns of Sri Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo as part of the tercentenary celebrations of Guruta Gaddi Diwas.   She also mentioned that Mr.Badal had praised the efforts of the Centre in seeking its approval for various development projects and schemes in the state even in the floor of Punjab Vidhan Sabha.  

Senior Akali Leader Mr.Amarjit Singh Sidhu from Talwandi Sabo urged the Union Tourism & Culture Minister to include the missing links in the existing Sri Guru Gobind Singh Marg especially in the Muktsar and Bathinda districts in the development plan for Talwandi Sabo.   MLA from Bathinda Mr.Harminder Singh Jassi impressed upon Mrs.Soni for the beautification of the Guru Gobind Singh Marg with a distinct identity from other national highways.   MLA from Sri Anandpur Sahib Sant Baba Ajit Singh requested the Ministry of Culture to focus special attention for the development of Martial Arts Academy at Sri Anandpur Sahbib. MLA from Nangal Rana KP Singh demanded that the religious places in the vicinity of Sri Anandpur Sahib like Guru Ka Lahore, Naina Devi and other places of cultural and historic heritage should also form an integrated part of the plan.   
Meanwhile, Member Parliament from Rupnagar Mr.Sukhdev Singh Libra suggested that the religious places connected with Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji in the Rupnagar district could be taken up for upgradation in the second phase by the Ministry of Culture & Tourism.

The meeting with attended among others by the Media Advisor to Chief Minister Harcharan Bains, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister KJS Cheema, Secretary Cultural Abhijit Sen and Lov Verma Joint Secretary of Ministry of Culture, GoI.