Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday flagged off Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana (BNTYY) Pilgrimage Tirtha train at Bhubaneswar railway station here.
A total of 800 elderly pilgrims from Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada and Dhenkanal districts took the Bhubaneswar-Shirdi-Nashik special train. The state government has made accommodation, travel and fooding arrangements from villages to station and stations to pilgrimage sites for the senior citizens travelling by the special train.
The CM further stated that the dedicated officials, guides and medical teams will accompany the pilgrims during the journey. “According to ancient traditions, everyone wishes to visit certain holy places during their lifetime to seek divine blessings. However, due to various reasons, this may not always be possible. It is a matter of happiness that you are now able to visit the abodes of Baba Bholenath and Shirdi Sai,” he said.
Those in age group of 60-75 years enrolled under Antyodaya Anna Yojana, NFSA and MGNREGA can avail the benefit under the scheme through an application by furnishing the documents issued by the government reflecting their weak economic status or deprivation, he added.
Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, Skill Development Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, and MLAs were present.
The Odisha government launched the BNTYY scheme in 2016 to help economically disadvantaged senior citizens travel to different pilgrimage centres in the country from particular boarding points in the state.
This year, arrangements have been made for trips to Shirdi, Nashik, Kamakshya, Varanasi, Kolkata Dakshineswar Kali Temple and Ayodhya, benefiting 8000 senior citizens in phases with 800 passengers in each trip. The pilgrimage trains will operate in two phases from stations in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Rayagada, and Balasore.
