7500 elderly people to go on pilgrimage

At least 7500 elderly persons from across the State will depart on pilgrimage under the ‘Mukhyamantri Tirtha Darshan Yojna’ this year, said Amar Bauri Minister for Revenue, Land Reforms, Art, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs of Jharkhand.

“We have planned to send 1000 people to Somnath Temple in the month of September while 300 to Ajmer Sharif in the last week of this month from Bokaro Railway Station across North Chhotanagpur region,” added Bauri.

For the pilgrimage of Somnath Temple 150 people from Bokaro, 200 from Dhanbad, Ramghar (100), Giridih (200), Chatra (100), Koderma (100) and Hazaribagh (150) would be participate while for Ajmer 40 people from Chatra, Hazaribagh (40), Koderma (40), Giridih (50), Ramghar (40), Bokaro (40) and 50 people from Dhanbad would participate, he informed.

“An individual aged 60 years and above hails from the below poverty line (BPL) family is eligible to travel in the special train twice in his or her lifespan on government expense. A member of each elderly pilgrim's family was allowed to travel for tendering the elderly,” he added.

The state government approved this scheme on 30 August 2017 aiming to provide ‘tirha yatra’ to the elderly people of the state who cannot go themselves due to their financial problems, said an official.

With the assistance of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) this religious journey will be organized, he said. Facilities of a doctor, special officer, as well as water and meal, are available during the journey, said an official.