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Rs 1 billion grant for Khalsa celebrations

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has announced a grant of Rs 1 billion for the nation-wide tri-centenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa Panth. The celebrations begin on April 13, Baisakhi Day, 1999.

The announcement came at a meeting of the national committee for the tri-centenary celebrations in New Delhi yesterday.

Addressing a press conference, Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi said a commemorative stamp would be released to mark the occasion.

The meeting also decided to set up a chair in Guru Gobind Singh's name at Kurukshetra University.

An implementation committee to co-ordinate the programmes to be launched on the occasion was also constituted.

Presided over by the prime minister, the meeting was attended by former prime ministers Chandra Shekhar and Inder Kumar Gujral, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Delhi Chief Minister Sushma Swaraj, Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Om Prakash Chauthala and Union Ministers Lal Kishenchand Advani, George Fernandes, and Surjit Singh Barnala.

UNI

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