The Maharashtra government has identified 139 religious sites, including 73 from across the country and 66 from within the state, to facilitate free pilgrimages for senior citizens.
Credit: PTI photo
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has identified 139 religious sites, including 73 from across the country and 66 from within the state, to facilitate free pilgrimages for senior citizens above 60 years under the Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana.
A Government Resolution (GR) detailing this scheme was issued on Sunday, following its approval by the state Cabinet last week. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had announced the scheme in the legislative assembly.
The pilgrimage destinations include prominent religious sites such as Vaishno Devi temple, Amarnath Caves, Golden Temple in Amritsar, Char Dham Yatra, Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Somnath Temple in Dwarka, and Jagannath Puri in Odisha.
Additionally, religious places in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, as well as significant Buddhist and Jain sites, are included.
Within Maharashtra, 15 religious locations in Mumbai are part of the scheme. These include Siddhivinayak temple, Chaityabhoomi (associated with B.R. Ambedkar), Vipassana pagoda, a synagogue, Mount Mary church in Bandra and St Andrews Church, besides the Jain Temple in Nashik, and Dikshabhoomi in Nagpur, where Ambedkar embraced Buddhism.
Eligible individuals with an annual income of up to Rs 2.5 lakh are entitled to Rs 30,000 to cover travel, accommodation, and food expenses.
Applicants above the age of 75 are allowed to take along a spouse or attendant. A 17-member committee has been established to monitor and review the scheme at the state level, with a seven-member panel, including the assistant commissioner of the social justice department as the member secretary, set up at the district level.
At the state level, the commissioner of the social justice department will act as the nodal officer.