Jalandhar, Aug. 8 -- In the run-up to the 650th anniversary of Guru Ravidas in February 2027, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann will be laying the foundation stone for construction of the Guru Ravidas Bani Research Centre at Dera Sachkhand Ballan, a prominent spiritual centre of the Ravidassia community, on August 9.

The project was first announced during the Congress regime in 2021 by then chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi.

Five years later, it is finally inching toward reality amid the AAP government's year-long celebrations for Guru Ravidas' 650th Parkash Purb, coinciding with the state assembly elections.

The Punjab government has procured nearly 10 acres at Naugaja and Faridpur villages, adjacent to Dera Ballan village, at a...