With the annual Kanwar pilgrimage set to begin next month, the Delhi Cabinet, on Tuesday approved ‘Mukhyamantri Dharmik Utsav Samiti’, under which the Government will provide funds from a minimum of Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh to registered Kanwar Yatra committees through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Kanwar camps will be classified based on tenting area and the number of days they operate.
Announcing this after the cabinet meeting, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that ‘kanwar’ committees will receive financial assistance through direct benefit transfer without any tendering process, saying it will eliminate corruption.
The Chief Minister also announced following a cabinet meeting that the Delhi Government will also bear the cost of up to 1,200 units of electricity to the ‘kanwar’ camps. She said a committee headed by minister Kapil Mishra will decide on the upper limit of the financial assistance. The Mukhyamnatri Dharmik Utsav Committee will also have four other MLAs.
The Chief Minister said, “We have taken a historic decision. Earlier, tendering was done for putting up tents and only two or three people applied.
They got the tender and then sublet the work. Even till last day, tents were not erected and kanwar committees would get into trouble,” Rekha Gupta said, adding that “crores” would be spent on the exercise.
“Ending all corruption, we have decided that all ‘kanwar’ committees involved in the process will get direct benefit transfer. There will be no
contractor involved and no
tendering process,” the Chief
Minister said.
She said the committees that are not registered will have time till July 30 to apply for permission. “For traffic and security also we will have meetings and we will ensure that people face no problems. Civil defence volunteers will also help in the camps,” she said.
Rekha Gupta emphasised that the direct benefit transfer move will enhance transparency and efficiency, ensuring better services for devotees. Only registered committees with valid PAN, bank details and registration certificates will be eligible for the grant.
She informed that 50 per cent of the grant will be given in advance, and the remaining 50 per cent will be released only after submission of the Utilisation Certificate (UC), verification with geo-tagged photos by SDM or Tehsildar, and complete audit documents.
The Chief Minister added that grant disbursement will follow a first-come, first-serve principle to prioritise timely applicants. Additionally, recommendations from the local MLA and/orMP and/or Ministers will be mandatory for approval of any Kanwar camp site to ensure proper planning and need-based setup.
She also announced this year a group of Ministers chaired by Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra along with four MLAs will finalise the list and a new body named ‘Mukhyamantri Dharmik Utsav Smiti’ will be formed soon.
Furthermore, all districts will have a single-window clearance system under the supervision of District Magistrates, allowing NOC and permits to be issued within 72 hours —making the process swift and convenient for organisers.
To ensure seamless coordination, an inter-departmental meeting will be held by Secretary, Revenue cum Divisional Commissioner, involving key departments including Delhi Police, DJB, Fire Services, MCD, Health, DDA, Transport, and Power.
She said all camps will be required to maintain minimum infrastructure standards—providing waterproof tents, bedding, stages, barricading, CCTV, fans, coolers, lighting, fire extinguishers, and proper sanitation.
Rekha Gupta affirmed the government is committed to “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” and is continuously working on new, reform-oriented policies. The reforms around kanwar yatra reflect this very vision. She highlighted that in previous governments, the system had become mired in corruption, where a few contractors bagged all tenders and either sub-let them or failed to provide proper services. Despite crores of rupees being spent, kanwariyas received little to no benefit. Many committees had to wait till the last moment for basic services like tents and water supply.
In contrast, the current government consulted directly with Kanwar committees to understand their problems and has brought transparency, simplicity, and accountability into the process. These reforms are a major step toward eliminating corruption and ensuring direct benefits to the people.