Free pilgrimage tours for senior citizens launched

NEWDELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday launched the “Mukhyamantri Tirth Yojana”, a free pilgrimage tour for senior citizens under which the Delhi government will bear the travel expenses of 77,000 pilgrims every year.

Delhi residents above the age of 60 are covered under this scheme. Pilgrims above 70 years of age will be allowed an attendant aged 21 years or above and their expenditure will also be borne by the government.

Kejriwal, while inaugurating the scheme, appealed to the elderly, who will sign up for the pilgrimage, to pray for Delhi government’s success in achieving its mission of serving the public.

“Our mission is to give good education to students, to provide better health facilities and services to all and now our mission is to provide the best transport to people,” Kejriwal said. The pilgrimage tour will be of three days and two nights, the government said.

Although there is no income criteria for availing of the scheme, those in state/central government or local or autonomous bodies cannot apply.

The applicants have to provide a certificate from the area MLA attesting to their residence, voter identity card, self declaration certificate and a medical certificate.

A government official said 1,100 senior citizens will be chosen from each assembly constituency of Delhi annually for the pilgrimage. The Delhi cabinet, in January, had approved the revenue department’s proposal to begin the scheme, but it could not be started owing to objections raised by the L-G’S office.