Mohali, Jan. 31 -- The Punjab government will launch a year-long series of state-level programmes from February 1 to commemorate the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas, finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced during his visit to Mohali on Friday. He paid obeisance on the occasion of the 649th jayanti of Guru Ravidas and participated in a nagar kirtan organised from Guru Ravidas Bhawan in Phase-7, Mohali. Cheema further said a high-level committee, headed by him, has been constituted by chief minister Bhagwant Mann to prepare a roadmap for organising programmes across the state during the year-long celebrations. Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh, who accompanied the minister, said the landmark anniversary would be observed across Punjab with devotion and large-scale public participation. A large number of devotees and local leaders, including district planning committee chairperson Prabhjot Kaur, participated in the nagar kirtan. Announcing a major initiative, Cheema said the state government has decided to establish a Guru Ravidas Bani Adhyayan centre near Dera Ballan in Jalandhar to ensure global outreach of the saint's teachings. He said more than nine acres of land at Naugaja and Faridpur villages have been purchased at a cost of Rs.10.50 crore for the centre, making it a first-of-its-kind initiative in India. The centre will serve as a dedicated hub for research, preservation and dissemination of Guru Ravidas' teachings through lectures and seminars, publications and educational programmes....