Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on June 28 announced the Mukhya Mantri Teerth Darshan Yojana, a new pilgrimage scheme designed for senior citizens of all religions.
This scheme aims to help elderly people who cannot visit pilgrimage sites on their own. “The Mukhya Mantri Teerth Darshan Yojana will serve senior citizens of all faiths. Maharashtra is the land of saints and every year many people visit the shrines. For this, a comprehensive policy will be framed for the scheme, and the government will facilitate pilgrimages for senior citizens from all religions who cannot undertake the journeys independently,” Mr. Shinde told the State Assembly.
The Chief Minister announced the scheme in the State Legislative Assembly in response to a calling attention notice by Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik, who stated that many senior citizens are unable to fulfil their pilgrimage dreams due to financial constraints, lack of companionship, or lack of information on how to proceed.
“I urge the State government to launch a scheme that includes pilgrimage sites of all religions for senior citizens,” he said.
In response, Mr. Shinde assured that the government would facilitate the pilgrimage of senior citizens from all religious backgrounds, helping them achieve their spiritual aspirations despite any personal or financial obstacles. The Chief Minister said that the scheme will be implemented through online applications.
Similar schemes exist in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Delhi. In Madhya Pradesh, the government provides one-time assistance to senior citizens above 60 years (with a 2-year relaxation for women) to visit a prescribed pilgrimage outside the State. Under this scheme, senior citizens receive free travel to identified pilgrimage sites in the country. The pilgrims travel by special train, and arrangements for breakfast, food, pure drinking water, stay at pilgrimage places, necessary bus travel, and other facilities are made available by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) contracted with the state government.
‘No visitors’
Meanwhile, Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar announced that visitors would be allowed inside the Vidhan Bhavan premises only two days a week – Tuesdays and Thursdays - when the session is on.
He explained to the House that the decision was made to reduce crowding in the complex and alleviate the strain on the legislature security and those ensuring the safety of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers.
Massive budget
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also serves as Finance Minister, on Friday presented the last Budget of the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party government before the Assembly election, outlining a total expenditure of ₹6,12,293 crore with a revenue deficit of ₹20,051 crore. He announced a battery of schemes, including waiving electricity bill dues for 44 lakh farmers, providing a monthly allowance of ₹1,500 to women in the 21 to 60 age group, three free LPG cylinders a year for a family of five, a stipend of ₹10,000 per month to youth for skill training, and announcing a policy for the third gender.
Meanwhile, the State government on Saturday issued a Government Resolution (GR) stating that beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, a scheme to provide a monthly allowance of ₹1,500 to married, divorced and destitute women in the 21 to 60 age group, must have an annual family income not exceeding ₹2.5 lakh. The schemes with an annual budgetary allocation of ₹46,000 crore, was announced by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also holds the Finance portfolio, during the additional budget presented on Friday. It will be implemented from July 1.
According to the GR, eligible women must have a bank account in their name, along with an Aadhaar or ration card and proof of domicile in the State.
Applicants need to obtain an income certificate verifying their annual family income does not exceed ₹2.5 lakh, which can be done through online applications. In rural areas, Anganwadi sevikas or gram sevaks will facilitate the process, verify and upload forms onto the portal.
In urban areas, Anganwadi sevikas and ward officers will oversee the verification.
“Final approval will be granted by a committee chaired by the district collector,” the order reads. The resolution specifies that people associated with any government machinery, receiving government pension, or benefiting from other government schemes exceeding ₹1,500 are ineligible.
