Synopsis
Over 150,000 senior citizens have benefited from Gujarat's Shravan Tirth Darshan Yojana, which facilitates visits to religious sites. The program promotes spiritual journeys and enhances religious tourism in the state.Key Takeaways
- Over 150,000 beneficiaries to date
- Group applications required
- Travel duration limited to 72 hours
- Increased bus fare subsidy
- Projects to enhance pilgrimage sites
Gandhinagar, Feb 5 (NationPress) Over 150,000 pilgrims have reaped benefits from the Gujarat government's Shravan Tirth Darshan Yojana, designed specifically for senior citizens aged 60 and older to visit religious sites throughout the state.
A statement from the Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board disclosed that roughly Rs 1,128 lakh has been allocated to this program since its inception on May 1, 2017.
According to the scheme's guidelines, participants can engage in a pilgrimage lasting up to three days and three nights (72 hours) or travel a maximum of 2,000 km.
The program only processes group applications, with a minimum requirement of 27 pilgrims per group, and individual requests are not accepted.
Furthermore, the initiative offers non-AC super buses managed by the state transport (ST) department for travel purposes.
Pilgrims are required to register offline to access the benefits. This initiative continues to aid thousands of senior citizens in achieving their spiritual goals while boosting religious tourism in Gujarat.
Initially, the program provided a 50% subsidy on bus fares, along with a daily allowance of Rs 50 for meals and Rs 50 for lodging, with a total cap of Rs 300 per pilgrim for the entire journey. The program enforces group travel, necessitating a minimum of 27 participants per group, and does not accept individual applications.
The pilgrimage duration is restricted to three days and three nights (72 hours) or a maximum distance of 2,000 kilometers. In July 2022, the Gujarat government implemented several improvements to the scheme, increasing the bus fare subsidy from 50% to 75% and extending the permissible duration for pilgrimages.
Additionally, the government has earmarked Rs 857.14 crore for the extensive development of secondary pilgrimage sites near key religious centers. This initiative seeks to improve infrastructure and amenities at these sacred locations.
Development projects valued at Rs 318.13 crore are currently in progress at pilgrimage sites in Porbandar, Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka, and Patan districts. Notable projects include the Krishna-Rukshmani pilgrimage site in Madhavpur, Porbandar, with an investment of Rs 42.43 crore; a Rs 32.70 crore development initiative at the Mata no Madh pilgrimage site in Kachchh; and a Rs 30 crore project at Narayan Sarovar in Kachchh.
