Maharashtra govt announces pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens from all religions

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday announced 'Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana', a pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens from all religions.

The scheme will help elderly people who are unable to visit the pilgrimage sites on their own, he said.

Shinde made the announcement in the state legislative assembly while replying to a calling attention notice by Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik.

"The scheme titled 'Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana' will be for the senior citizens of all religions," the chief minister said.

Rules will be framed for the scheme and the government will facilitate the pilgrimage of senior citizens from all religions who are unable to do it on their own, he said.

In his demand, Sarnaik said senior citizens cannot fulfil their dream of going on a pilgrimage because of financial problems or they have nobody to accompany them and also they do not have any information about how they can go for the pilgrimage.

He said the state government should start a scheme for senior citizens and include pilgrimage sites of all religions in it.