Bhubaneswar, Sept 2: The first senior citizen pilgrimage tour of the current financial year began from Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, with 775 pilgrims leaving for Varanasi and Ayodhya under the state government’s pilgrimage scheme.
The pilgrims departed from the Patia New Railway Station in Bhubaneswar. Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida flagged off the pilgrimage in the presence of Tourism Minister Sampad Chandra Swain.
The first batch includes 169 senior citizens from Khordha, 85 from Jagatsinghpur, 197 from Cuttack, 127 from Puri, 108 from Kendrapara and 89 from Dhenkanal, taking the total to 775.
To ensure the safety and well-being of the pilgrims throughout the journey, 25 government officials have also accompanied the group.
The pilgrims are scheduled to return on September 7. In subsequent phases, senior citizens from other districts will also get the opportunity to visit various important pilgrimage destinations across the country.
The Odisha government has made arrangements for economically weaker senior citizens to undertake pilgrimage trips free of cost, helping them fulfil their long-cherished dream of visiting major religious destinations.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said the initiative is aimed at ensuring that financially disadvantaged senior citizens can visit important pilgrimage sites without worrying about travel expenses.
