Rameshwaram, Dwarka would be added to pilgrimage scheme: CM
New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that Delhi government will add Rameshwaram and Dwarka to the Pilgrimage Scheme for the senior citizens of the state. "We will add three to four more places to this scheme. Rameshwaram and Dwarka would be added to this scheme," said Chief Minister Kejriwal.
The Delhi CM met residents of the unauthorised colonies at his resident. The Chief Minister urged all the senior citizens of Delhi to take this scheme and visit a pilgrimage. "I will request all the people and the youths to tell the senior citizens about our scheme and to encourage them to go to the pilgrimage. The people are very happy after the visits," said the Delhi CM.
1,100 senior citizens from each of the 70 assembly constituencies can undertake journey on specific circuits. Under the scheme, a city resident above 60 years will be eligible to take free pilgrimage along with his or her spouse. The applicant can also take along an attendant above the age of 20 years, if the applicant or his spouse is above 70 years.
The pilgrimage scheme is the first fully paid pilgrimage for senior citizens aged above 60 years. The Tirth Yojana will include travel, stay, and food for senior citizens.
First trip was at the Delhi-Amritsar-Wagah Border-Anandpur Sahib route via train and started on the eve of July 12 from Safdarjung railway station and concluded on July 16. Delhi government approximately plans to send 77,000 people on a first-come-first-served basis. Each year 1,100 beneficiaries from each of the 70 assembly constituencies in Delhi will be sent on pilgrimage.
The Delhi CM also said that the Delhi government will make sure that the unauthorised colonies become regularise and will not politicise the issue. "The BJP is saying that they have done the whole work of regularisation and we did not do anything. I will tell them that I will not politicise the issue. I am happy to give all the credits to them but I want this work should finish soon," said Delhi CM.