Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana: Maharashtra Govt Releases List of Eligibility Criteria

To facilitate Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana, the Maharashtra government has identified 139 religious sites, including 73 from across the country and 66 in Maharashtra.

Within Maharashtra, 15 religious locations in Mumbai are part of the scheme. These include Siddhivinayak temple, Chaityabhoomi (associated with B.R. Ambedkar), Vipassana pagoda, a synagogue, Mount Mary church in Bandra and St Andrews Church. Besides the Jain Temple in Nashik, and Dikshabhoomi in Nagpur, where Ambedkar embraced Buddhism are also included.

Additionally, a Government Resolution (GR) detailing rules and regulations and eligibility for this scheme was issued on Sunday, July 15, following its approval by the state Cabinet last week.

A committee of 17 members has been formed under the chairmanship of the Minister of Social Justice Department at the state level for monitoring and reviewing the scheme at the state level.

List of Eligibility Criteria:

- Under this scheme an eligible person will get a one-time benefit of this scheme for one of the designated pilgrimage sites

- The maximum limit for travel expenses will be INR 30,000 per person including accommodation.

- Annual income of the beneficiary should be 2.50 lakhs.

- Beneficiary should be a resident of Maharashtra state and should be a senior citizen above 60 years of age.

- Online applications have to be submitted to avail the benefits of the scheme.

- Authorised tourist companies to organise bus travel and IRCTC for train travel will be selected.

- The selection of the passengers will be done by the district level committee constituted at the district level.

- Similarly, the quota will be fixed for each district based on the population and the passengers will be selected through a lottery based on the availability of applications received. 

- An applicant above 75 years of age will be allowed to take one of his spouse or assistant with them.

- Members who get pension after retirement will not be eligible for the benefits of this scheme.

Apart from this, the pilgrimage destinations across the nation include prominent religious sites such as Vaishno Devi temple, Amarnath Caves, Golden Temple in Amritsar, Char Dham Yatra, Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Somnath Temple in Dwarka, and Jagannath Puri in Odisha.