BHOPAL: The SS Chauhan Govt has announced to bear pilgrimage expenses for senior citizens in the state. Under its flagship program, flagship ‘Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana’ will be taking some senior citizens in the state on free pilgrimages by air under its existing scheme and the exercise will start on May 21.
Until now, pilgrims were provided free train services to religious places said officials adding that air service will be incorporated soon. “As per the new plan under this scheme, eligible beneficiaries from 25 districts (out of the total 52 in the state) will be taken on pilgrimages to various destinations by airplanes between May 21 and July 19,” Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Home, Dr. Rajesh Rajora said on Friday.
Regular flights will be plying to Prayagraj, Shirdi, Mathura-Vrindavan, and Gangasagar added Dr. Rajora.
As per the scheme each district has 33 seats reserved for pilgrims to avail of the services which will be allotted based on a lottery system if more than 32 applications are filed. One of the 33, will be booked for an escort officer, Rajora said, adding that the scheme will be implemented with the help of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
Eligibility criteria for the scheme: Pilgrims are to be above 65 years old and should not be an income tax payee.
Flight schedule:
May 21st- flight to Prayagraj will take off from Bhopal.
May 23- flight from Agar Malwa to Shirdi
May 25 – from Betul to Vrindavan
May 26- from Dewas to Shirdi
June 3- from Khandwa to Gangasagar
June 4- from Harda to Prayagraj
June 6- from Mandsaur to Shirdi
June 8- Narmadapuram to Mathura-Vrindavan
June 9- Shirdi from Neemuch
June 15- from Barwani to Gangasagar
June 16- Indore to Gangasagar
June 18- Damoh to Prayagraj
June 19- from Burhanpur to Gangasagar, Ratlam to Shirdi
June 20 from Shajapur to Shirdi
June 22- Sagar to Mathura-Vrindavan
June 23- from Khargone to Gangasagar, from Ujjain to Shirdi
July 2- from Vidisha to Prayagraj
July 3 -from Alirajpur to Shirdi
July 4- from Rajgarh to Mathura-Vrindavan
July 6- from Sehore to Mathura-Vrindavan
July 7- from Dhar to Shirdi
July 16- from Raisen to Prayagraj
July 19- from Jhabua to Shirdi.