Puri, Feb 12: The state government has rolled out the “Shree Jagannath Darshan Yojana” to facilitate darshan of Lord Jagannath for devotees across Odisha. The scheme will be formally launched by the Chief Minister from Nabarangpur on the 13th of this month.
In the first phase, 500 devotees from five districts will travel to Puri for darshan. Around 200 devotees are scheduled to arrive on the evening of the 13th, while the remaining will reach on the morning of the 14th. Individuals aged between 60 and 75 years and widowed women are eligible under the scheme. The respective district administrations will prepare beneficiary lists and coordinate with the Puri district administration and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration for arrangements.
A preparatory meeting was held at the Circuit House on Wednesday under the chairmanship of District Collector Dibyajyoti Parida to ensure smooth implementation. The Collector directed all departments to work in coordination and carry out responsibilities with a spirit of service, emphasizing the spiritual significance of the initiative.
Arrangements will include health check-ups, accommodation at Brundabati Nivas, Mahaprasad distribution, help desks, local transportation, security, parking facilities, and photo-video documentation. Officials informed that 5,000 devotees are expected to benefit from the scheme by the end of the current financial year.
Senior district officials, including Additional District Magistrates, temple and tourism authorities, police officials, and other department representatives, were present at the meeting.
