Pune: Senior citizens aged 60 and above from all religious backgrounds in Maharashtra are being urged to apply for the Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana (Chief Minister's Pilgrimage Scheme), which offers free travel to key pilgrimage sites across India.
Offline applications are open until October 31, after which online applications will be accepted. The scheme covers 73 pilgrimage sites across India, including 66 within Maharashtra, ensuring that most major religious destinations are included.
Eligible individuals will benefit from this scheme for one pilgrimage trip, with a maximum travel expense limit of ₹30,000 per person. This amount will cover the cost of travel, food, accommodation, and other related expenses.
To implement the Chief Minister's Pilgrimage Scheme, a seven-member committee has been established under the chairmanship of the district's guardian minister, following a government decision on July 14.
The district collector will serve as the vice-chairman of the committee, and the Assistant Commissioner of Social Welfare will act as the member secretary.
According to a government resolution issued on August 8, the earlier decision has been revised. A separate quota will be allocated for each district based on its population, with a maximum of 1,000 eligible beneficiaries to be selected by October 31.
The selection of pilgrims will be done by the district-level committee, and if the number of applications exceeds the quota, a lottery system will be used to select the beneficiaries, according to Assistant Commissioner of Social Welfare, Vishal Londhe.
Scheme Benefits:
Pilgrimages for all senior citizens.
Travel to identified 139 pilgrimage sites across India
Caretaker facility provided to citizens above 75 years of age
Pilgrimages free of cost
Benefits provided only once in a lifetime