Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday flagged off the seventh special pilgrimage train for senior citizens through video conferencing from the state Secretariat. This was part of the state government’s Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana (BNTYY).
The Chief Minister wished a comfortable, safe and successful journey to the senior citizens. The beneficiaries also expressed their immense happiness.
Senior citizen pilgrim Ambika Mohanty from Rasabidyadharpur said that she would never forget the service offered to them by the Chief Minister. The seventh special pilgrimage train with 1000 senior citizens on board started from Balasore Railway Station to visit Agra, Fatehpursikri and Mathura.
While about 3000 senior citizen pilgrims of Odisha have been getting the pilgrimage opportunity through three special trains in a year fully sponsored by the state government, from this year the number is raised to 6000.
Under the BNTYY, three special trains have been leaving phase-wise from Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and Sambalpur. From this year, three more trains will start their pilgrimage from Balasore, Titilagarh and Rayagada.
The Odisha Tourism Department has so far successfully organised six trips under the scheme during 2016-17 and 2017-18 with 6000 senior citizens getting the benefit.
The expenditure under BNTYY for the year 2016-17 was `5 crore, for the year 2017-18 it was `6.5 crore and for the current year, the budget provision is `11 crore, a press release of the Odisha Tourism Department stated.
BNTYY was launched in 2016 to enable the poor and deprived senior citizens realise their dream of going on one tirtha yatra (pilgrimage) and fulfilment of their spiritual aspirations with support of the state. The scheme is offered to people of all religions/faiths.
