Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Thursday flagged off a group of 25 senior citizens to Badrinath to launch 'Mere Buzurg Mere Teerth' (MBMT) scheme of the State Government. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that internal tourism will be developed into a vital part of the State's tourism policy. The State will set a target of facilitating Char Dham Yatra for more than 25,000 senior citizens for free under MBMT next year.
The Chief Minister also said, "This scheme has been started with three broad aims. First, it is to maintain social values as changing times have negatively affected our social traditions. Respecting the elders is part of our culture. The second aim is to maintain enthusiasm among the people as this scheme will enable the senior citizens to rejuvenate themselves. It will also reinforce the message to the world that Uttarakhand is safe for tourism after the June 2013 disaster.
The third and most important aim of the MBMT scheme is to boost internal tourism by encouraging people living in one part of the State to visit the other part and get to know the people there. Internal tourism has never been a part of our tourism policy. Now plans are being drafted to promote this. This year we will attempt to take 2,500 senior citizens on pilgrimage to Badrinath and other shrines under the scheme and aim for a bigger target next year," said Rawat.
Speaking on the occasion, Tourism Minister Dinesh Dhanai said that the scheme was part of the attempts to rebuild the tourism sector in Uttarakhand following the damage wreaked by the June 2013 disaster. Informing about the scheme, additional secretary, Tourism, Shailesh Bagauli said that the Tourism department has set a target of facilitating free of cost Char Dham Yatra for 200 senior citizens from each district of Uttarakhand. Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam and Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam are coordinating the execution of the scheme with assistance from the district administration. The scheme has elicited a positive response. While a bus carrying senior citizens on pilgrimage left Dehradunon on Thursday, another bus left from Haridwar with senior citizens. Those who departed from Dehradun will have a night halt at Gauchar while those who departed from Haridwar will stay the night at Joshimath, he informed.