The “Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana” (Chief Minister’s Pilgrimage Scheme) was launched in June 2012 by the Department of Religious Trusts and Endowments, Government of Madhya Pradesh. This scheme provides a one-time free pilgrimage to senior citizens of the state. Eligibility includes those aged 60 and above, with a two-year relaxation for women.
The scheme “Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana” was launched by the Department of Religious Trusts and Endowments, Government of Madhya Pradesh in June 2012. Under the scheme, the state government provides one-time assistance to senior citizens above 60 years of age (2 years relaxation in case of women) of the state to visit a prescribed pilgrimage outside the state. In this scheme, free travel is made to senior citizens of the state to the identified pilgrimage site in the country. The pilgrims travel by special train, breakfast, food, and pure drinking water, arrangements for stay at pilgrimage places, travel by bus where necessary, and other facilities are made available by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) contracted with Religious Trusts and Endowments Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh. The scheme got underway on September 3, 2012, with a journey to Rameshwaram.
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Objective of Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana
- To provide senior citizens with an opportunity to visit important pilgrimage sites : The scheme enables elderly residents of Madhya Pradesh to travel to religious destinations outside their state, which they might not otherwise be able to visit due to financial or logistical constraints.
- To support the spiritual well-being of senior citizens : By facilitating pilgrimages, the scheme aims to fulfill the spiritual aspirations of the elderly population.
- To offer financial assistance for religious travel : The government provides this service free of cost to eligible senior citizens, making it accessible to those who may not have the means to undertake such journeys on their own.
- To ensure comfortable and safe travel for the elderly : By managing all aspects of the journey through IRCTC, the scheme aims to provide a hassle-free and secure pilgrimage experience tailored to the needs of senior citizens.
- To promote social welfare : This initiative can be seen as part of the government’s efforts to care for its elderly population, enhancing their quality of life and social inclusion.
- To preserve cultural and religious traditions : By supporting pilgrimages, the scheme helps in maintaining the cultural and religious practices that are important to many senior citizens.
Benefits of Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana
- The State Government provides one-time assistance in a lifetime to senior citizens above 60 years of age (2 years relaxation in case of women) to visit a prescribed pilgrimage outside the state.
- In this scheme, senior citizens of the state are made to travel to the identified pilgrimage sites of the country free of cost.
- The pilgrims travel by special train, breakfast, food, and pure drinking water, arrangements for stay at pilgrimage places, travel by bus where necessary, and other facilities are made available by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) contracted with Religious Trusts and Endowments Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh.
Eligibility Criteria
- The applicant should be a native of Madhya Pradesh.
- The age of the male applicant should be 60 years or above.
- The age of the female applicant should be 58 years or above.
- There is no age limit for disabled citizens whose disability is more than 60%.
- If the husband and wife want to travel together, then if one of the spouses is eligible, the life partner can also go on the journey, even if his age is less than 60 years.
- The applicant should not be a taxpayer.
- The applicant should not have taken the benefit of Teerth Darshan Yojna earlier.
- The applicant should be physically and mentally fit for the journey and should not be suffering from any infectious disease like TB, congestive cardiac, obstructive respiratory disease, coronary insufficiency, coronary thrombosis, mental illness, infectious leprosy, etc.
Note 01: Application can be made for pilgrimage by forming a group, the head of the group will be the main applicant, but such group will not exceed 25 persons.
Note 02: The applicant providing false information and hiding facts can be deprived of benefits under the scheme anytime.
Note 03: In order to travel, it is mandatory for the applicant to provide a medical certificate that he is physically and mentally fit and not suffering from any infectious disease.
Note 04: Single pilgrims above 65 years of age and 60% of disabled citizens are eligible to take a helper (Caretaker).
Documents Required
- Identity proof i.e. Aadhaar card, Voter ID Card.
- For residence proof (Ration card, Driving license, electricity bill, or any other evidence recognized by the State Government).
- Colored passport size photograph.
- Disability certificate (If applicable).
- Proof of age.
- A medical certificate i.e. physically and mentally fit and not suffering from any infectious disease.
Application Process
Step 01 : The applicant should fill up the application form in the prescribed proforma in two copies and submit the same along with all the relevant documents at the nearest Tahsil or Sub-Tahsil before the prescribed time limit.
Pilgrimages
At present, the State Government has selected Shri Badrinath, Shri Kedarnath, Shri Jagannath Puri, Shri Dwarka Ji, Haridwar, Amarnath, Vaishno Devi, Shirdi, Tirupati, Ajmer Sharif, Kashi, Amritsar, Rameshwaram, Sammed Shikhar, Shravan Belgola and Belangi Church, Nagapattinam as pilgrimages under the scheme.