Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], August 13 (ANI): The Gujarat government has launched pilgrimage schemes to help people visit their chosen pilgrimage destination at a subsidized cost. A whopping 1,42,000 pilgrims have benefited under these schemes in the past seven years with Shravan Teerth Darshan Yojana accounting for 1,38,748 beneficiaries alone.
Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, various pilgrimage destinations of Gujarat are undergoing swift development, drawing a growing influx of pilgrims and visitors.
RR Rawal, Secretary of the Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board (GPYVB), emphasized the Gujarat government’s commitment to efficiently manage various pilgrimage schemes through GPYVB that facilitate the pilgrimage of lakhs of devotees to their sacred destinations.
Most prominent among these schemes is the Shravan Tirth Darshan Yojana- under which the Gujarat government fulfills the role of the ancient Hindu mythical character “Shravan” and facilitates pilgrimage for the elderly. Other notable schemes under the supervision of GPYVB include Kailash Mansarovar Yojana and the Sindhu Darshan Yojana.
Gujarat government’s Shravan Tirth Darshan Yojana has been instrumental in facilitating the senior citizens’ pilgrimage by offering them concessional rates. This initiative has attracted significant interest among the elderly. Since its inception in the fiscal year 2017-18, the state government has facilitated pilgrimages of 138,748 devotees by providing 2850 buses. A total financial assistance of Rs 10.25 Crore was expended to fund the travel of senior citizens under the scheme.
On the occasion of Gujarat Foundation Day- May 1, the Shravan Tirth Darshan Yojana was launched in the year 2017. This Yojana enables senior citizens aged 60 years and above to participate in group pilgrimages to their chosen pilgrimage destinations. The state government provides senior citizens with non-AC State Transport (ST) buses, mini non-AC buses, sleeper coaches, and private buses.
Under this scheme, 75 percent of the bus travel expense is funded by the government. Additionally, each pilgrim receives a meal valued at Rs 50 and accommodation worth Rs 50 per day, totalling Rs 100, with a maximum assistance limit of Rs 300.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,564 pilgrims from Gujarat have benefited from the Kailash Mansarovar Yojana, receiving financial assistance of Rs 581.49 lakh from the Gujarat government.
Responding to the heightened interest among the elderly, the government has increased the financial assistance under the scheme by more than double. While the government earlier financed Rs 23,000, the state government has now increased the amount to Rs 50,000.
Another pilgrimage scheme, Sindhu Darshan Yojana has also benefited 1,754 pilgrims since 2017 receiving the total financial assistance of Rs 2.63 Crore from the Gujarat government.
Under this scheme, the Gujarat government encourages the travel of pilgrims to the Sindhu Darshan Utsav, an annual festival celebrated in the scenic region of Leh-Ladakh in India.
The festival observed on Guru Purnima, attracts a significant number of participants from the state’s Sindhi community. During this event, devotees partake in the sacred ritual of bathing in the Sindhu River.
Under this scheme, a total of 300 pilgrims receive Rs 15000 government assistance each year. In the event of an increase in the number of pilgrims, a draw system is employed to select 300 beneficiaries for that particular year. (ANI)
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