Delhi govt approves all-expenses-paid pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens

Ananya Panda
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 9

The Delhi Government on Monday sanctioned the ‘Mukhyamantri Teerth Yojna’, which to offers Delhi’s 77,000 senior citizens all-expenses-paid pilgrimage trips.

The scheme will be extended to five stretches initially—Delhi-Agra (via Mathura, Vrindavan, Agra- Fatehpur Sikri-Delhi), Delhi-Neelkanth (via Hardwar, Rishikesh, Neelkanth-Delh), Delhi-Ajmer via Pushkar to Delhi, Delhi- Amritsar- Wagha Border via Anandpur Sahib to Delhi and Delhi-Vaishno Devi-Jammu to Delhi.

Beneficiaries, selected through “first come, first serve” basis, will be covered under an insurance of Rs 1 lakh each, Revenue Minister Kailash told reporters here.

The trips will last three days and two nights. The Delhi government will foot expenses for stay in hotels and travel in air-conditioned buses. A companion over 18 can accompany those selected. Expenses for the companion will also be borne by the state government.

Each bus of pilgrims will have three volunteers to assist them.

Although there’s no income criterion, only residents over 60 will be eligible for the scheme. “Voter card and a recommendation from the area's MLA are mandatory," the minister, who was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, said.

Applicants can apply online though the offices of the divisional commissioner, the MLA or the Teerth Yatra committee. Employees of central/ state/ local government or autonomous bodies will not be covered by the scheme. Applicants must submit a self-declaration form before the travel. 

Gahlot said that although the Delhi Cabinet under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal approved the scheme last year, it was delayed by objections from the Lt Governor’s office.

The scheme has been controversial, and has been another source of antagonism between the Delhi government and Lt. Governor Anil Baijal.

Baijal returned the proposal in March citing possible financial strain on the state exchequer and asking the state government to consider an income cap on applicants. Baijal’s objections drew stinging response from both Kejriwal and Gahlot, who accused Baijal and the BJP of obstructing the government from functioning.