Piligrimage scheme for senior citizens in Chhattisgarh

Senior citizens in Chhattisgarh will soon be able to take pilgrimage trips within the country for no cost.

The Raman Singh-led BJP government on Friday signed an agreement with Indian Railways that introduces pilgrimage packages for aged citizens.

The 'Chief Minister Pilgrimage Scheme' was signed between officials of the state's social welfare department and Indian Railways after the cabinet reviewed the scheme.

The scheme would enable physically fit senior citizens above the age of 60 years to travel once in a group at government expense to one or two of the chosen pilgrimages centres out of 16 identified by the state government outside Chhattisgarh.

Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister Raman Singh said eighty per cent of the total number of senior citizens who would be eligible for the scheme should be BPL, Antyodaya or Chief Minister Food Assistance Programme beneficiaries.

The remaining 20 per cent of the beneficiaries would be those who are Above Poverty Line but not entitled to pay income tax.

The expense on each pilgrim is estimated at Rs 18,000 per year. The total annual expense on the scheme would be Rs 36 crore.

Travellers above the age of 65 years would be eligible to take an assistant among a group of three to five senior citizens.

A report by The Pioneer quoted the CM saying that a corpus to be managed by the social welfare department would be established for funds allotted by the Government and from private sources.

Singh informed that applications from senior citizens would be received through gram panchayats, civic bodies and individuals at the district level.