Tradition of Teerth Yatra or pilgrimage has always played an important role in holding the diversities of Indian culture together and intact, since the ancient times. Moreover, it also promotes social harmony.
Every person desires to go on pilgrimage to holy places for at least once in his/her lifetime but most of the time weak economic conditions deprive the person from the divine experience. To make these unfulfilled dreams come true for the people of Chhattisgarh, State Government has initiated ambitious ‘Chhattisgarh Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana’, under which senior citizens of State are taken on pilgrimage to important sacred places of the country while all the travelling expenses are borne by State Government itself. Commenced on January 15, 2013, this scheme is an exemplary initiative of Chhattisgarh Government to preserve the indigenous culture.
How pleasant and interesting it is to go on the journey to various holy places with people of one’s own age-group, singing religious hymns all the way. The most striking feature of this scheme is that one can travel with his/her life partner along with the large number of people from their state to visit various pilgrim spots across the country. Till date, over 26,000 senior citizens from Chhattisgarh have got the opportunity to go on pilgrimage to their desired pilgrim spots, during the 29 journeys sponsored by State Government under Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana. All the beneficiaries of scheme enjoyed the journey, and also the food, health and safety arrangements offered in the mean time. Travelling altogether as a group and visiting the holy places, became a memorable moment of their lives for thousands of beneficiaries of the scheme. Glad with the arrangements, Dassuram, Nirgadram and Malodiya Majumdar from Kondagaon, Maakdi residents Chitranjan, Anusuyia and thousands of other beneficiaries of State Government’s Teerth Yatra Scheme, wholeheartedly praised the quality food and accommodation facility provided during the journey.
like all other schemes of State Government including Mukhyamantri Kanyadaan Yojana, Mukhyamantri Khadyann Yojana and Mukhyamantri Swasthya Beema Yojana, Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana is also based on the principle of religious harmony and peaceful coexistence, which is much evident from the list of pilgrim-spots under the scheme, which includes places like Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Mathura, Vrindavan, Prayag, Kashim Shirdi, Shani Signapur, Trayambkeshwar, Vaishno Devi, Jammu, Amritsar, Swarna Mandir, Tirupati, Madurai, Rameshwaram, Ajmer Shareef, Fatehpur (Chishti Dargah), Baba Baijnath Dham, Dakshineshwar, Kali Mandir, Ganga Sagar, Dwarika, Somnath, Nageshwar, Sammed Shikhar, Shravanbelgola, Velangani Churcg and Nagapattnam. In Indian culture, elderly people always hold an important and respectable position in the family as well as society, and taking them on pilgrimage is the responsibility of family members. Upholding this tradition and giving due respect to the sentiments of senior citizens, Chhattisgarh Government has commenced Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana.
Under this scheme, people of 60 years of age and above can go for pilgrimage to holy places situated outside the State for once in their lifetime, while the entire expenses of the journey will be borne by state government. Applicants selected for the scheme can take their spouses along with them, while the ones above 65 years of age can take an assistant with them on the journey. This scheme also has provision for group applications, under which a group of maximum 25 people can apply simultaneously for the scheme. There is also a provision in the scheme, according to which 80 per cent of the beneficiaries under the scheme should be BPl/Antyoday/Mukhyamantri Khadyann Yojana cardholders and 20 per cent beneficiaries should be those senior citizens, who live above poverty line but are not the income-taxpayers. Moreover, 25 per cent of the beneficiaries for the scheme are selected from urban areas while remaining 75 per cent are selected from rural areas.