Free pilgrimage scheme begins today

Chandigarh, November 26

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will launch ‘Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra’ scheme tomorrow on the occasion of Gurpurb of Guru Nanak Dev. The AAP Punjab unit said this step to provide free visits to religious places was praiseworthy.

Addressing a press conference at the party office in Chandigarh on Sunday, AAP spokesperson and chairman Jagtar Singh Sanghera along with spokesperson Harsukhinder Singh Babbi Badal said the Cabinet gave its approval to this scheme on November 6 and it will be valid from November 27 to February 29. He said it meant that for 13 weeks, devotees would be able to visit Hazur Sahib Nanded, Patna Sahib, Varanasi, Anandpur Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Mata Naina Devi Temple, etc for free.

Sanghera said the Mann government would provide trains and AC buses for travel, three-star rooms for accommodation, medical facilities, all for free to approximately 53,850 devotees for 95 days. He added that the budgetary allocation for it was Rs 40 crore. There was also a ministerial committee formed which consisted of Ministers Aman Arora, Laljit Singh Bhullar and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal to ensure the smooth execution of this scheme.

He added that now elder people would be able to visit various religious places in different corners of the country for free.

53K devotees to benefit

• For 13 weeks, devotees will be able to visit Hazur Sahib Nanded, Patna Sahib, Varanasi, Anandpur Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Mata Naina Devi Temple, etc for free
• The government will provide trains and AC buses for travel, three-star rooms for accommodation, medical facilities, all for free for approximately 53,850 devotees for 95 days
• The budgetary allocation for it is Rs 40 crore.