Plan for anniversary of Buddha's Mahaparinirvana
New
Delhi: The National Committee for the commemoration
of the 2550th anniversary of Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha
held its first meeting in New Delhi today. Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh chaired the meeting and instructed the
Ministry of Culture to constitute an implementing committee
to chalk out the programme for the commemoration year. The
commemoration year will start from May 10, 2006.
Union Urban Development and Culture Minister Jaipal Reddy
said that an international conference on heritage of Nalanda
is being organised in Nalanda from February 12 to 14 this
year. About 300 prominent Buddhist scholars, monks and other
dignitaries from abroad would attend the conference, he
said. Reddy also stated that the government is also supporting
three eminent Buddhist Educational Institutes in Leh, Saranath
and Nalanda. He said that there is also a scheme under operation
to maintain and repair the Buddhist monasteries and educational
Institutions. Minister of State for Tourism Renuka Chowdhary
informed the committee members of the Tourism Ministry's
efforts in promoting the Buddhist Heritage sites. The members
who attended the national committee meeting include UPA
chair person Sonia Gandhi, Chief Ministers of Bihar and
Sikkim, Dr. Karan Singh, Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, Professor
Bhalchandra Mungekar, Member, Planning Commission, Lama
Lobzang, Member, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes,
Members of Parliament Khiren Rijiju, Dawa Narbula, N.D.
Rai, R.S.Gavai and others.
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