Chief Minister Tirtha Darshan Yojana will be expanded: Chief Minister Dr. Yadav

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has said that the scheme should be expanded keeping in view the senior citizens of the state to visit famous pilgrimage sites of the country as well as major religious places in Madhya Pradesh. For this, the Religious Trust and Religious Affairs Department should prepare an action plan after conducting necessary studies. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that while the elderly travelers will get an opportunity to see famous places of their own state and have darshan of God by visiting places in the state, it will also be important from the point of view of the economy of the state. Due to the geographical structure of the state, citizens are unable to see many pilgrimage places and remain unaware of the specialties of their own state.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said in a meeting held in the ministry on Monday regarding the implementation of the Chief Minister Tirtha Darshan Yojana that other departments should also take initiative to introduce the youth to the ancient wealth and other important places of the state. Taking the youth to the centers of knowledge and science, places of historical importance, places of natural beauty and places important from the tourism point of view will increase their knowledge. The Tribal Development Department should select students from each district on merit and other basis and take them on a tour of important places in the state. Religious Trust, Endowments Minister Shri Dharmendra Singh Lodhi attended the meeting virtually. Chief Secretary Smt. Veera Rana, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr. Rajesh Rajoura, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Sanjay Kumar Shukla and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

Cultural tour of tribal artists should also be organized

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that many folk singers, musicians and artists reside in the tribal dominated areas of the state. They should be invited to visit various places in the state. They should travel with traditional musical instruments for stage performances. They will also get the benefit of visiting various Dev Sthals. The art of the artists will also reach the tourists and devotees from the country and abroad who come to such places.

Continuously increase facilities at Dev Sthals

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that development of various facilities is necessary at other Dev Sthals along with the major pilgrimage places of the state. Various related departments should be active so that the Dev Sthal complex is equipped with facilities. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav directed to improve the arrangements at Ram Raja’s city Orchha, Sharda Mata’s place Maihar, Bada Mahadev Temple, Chauragarh Mahadev, Jata Shankar Pachmarhi. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav received information from the officials regarding the construction of various religious and cultural places in the state.

Eight lakh citizens have got the benefit of the scheme

In the presentation in the meeting by the Religious Trust and Religious Affairs Department, it was told that the Chief Minister’s Tirth Darshan Yojana started in the state from the year 2012 is being operated by IRCTC. It includes 41 single pilgrimage sites and 9 pair pilgrimage sites of the country. In the last 12 years, about 8 lakh devotees of the state have received the benefit of the scheme. Citizens above 60 years of age are selected for the journey. There is a relaxation of two years for women. Citizens who are above 65 years of age or are handicapped are eligible to take an assistant with them. Pilgrims are provided with food, accommodation facilities as well as medical, security and road transport facilities. In the last financial year, 18 thousand 480 devotees of the state were benefited by the operation of 29 Bharat Gaurav trains. In the current financial year, 35 trains will be arranged for Varanasi- Ayodhya, Rameshwaram, Dwarka, Jagannathpuri, Kamakhya, Shirdi, Haridwar, Mathura- Vrindavan, Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s Deeksha Bhoomi (Nagpur) and Golden Temple Amritsar. Pilgrimage by air has also been started from the year 2023-24. 790 pilgrims from 25 districts of the state have benefited from this. They were made to travel to Prayagraj, Gangasagar, Shirdi and Mathura Vrindavan from Bhopal and Indore airports.