Celebrations for 2550th anniversary of Buddha

Itanagar, Apr 20: An year-long programme has been chalked out to celebrate the 2550th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha beginning on May 13 in New Delhi.

A 38-member national committee has been formed to organise this programme.

Pali Vidyapeeth secretary Rev. Vimalananda said today at Chongkham in Arunachal Pradesh, that the committee would organise national and international level seminars in various parts of the country to mark the event.

A 15-member implementation committee had been formed on March 27 with Union Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Ambika Soni as its chairman. The state Legislator T G Rimpoche was also inducted in the Implementation Committee.

Vimalananda, who is also in the implementation committee, said the Centre has already allocated Rs 10 crore for organising the programme.

However, funds for other activities would be fixed later, he added.

The first seminar would be held at Bodh Gaya in Bihar during November, he said adding the committee had asked the respective states to chalk out programmes and place before the national committee for budgetary allocation.

UNI