The Delhi government on Tuesday announced that every year, it will bear all the costs of 77,000 senior citizens with an annual income of up to Rs 3 lakh who want to go on a pilgrimage, The Times of India reported. The government will also pay for attendants above 18 years accompanying the pilgrims, said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Those who want to avail of the benefits of the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana
can go on one of the five following trips – Mathura-Vrindavan-Agra-Fatehpur Sikri, Haridwar-Rishikesh-Neelkanth, Ajmer-Pushkar, Amritsar-Wagah Border-Anandpur Sahib or Vaishno Devi-Jammu.

Senior citizens who are either working or retired employees of the central, state or local governments or any autonomous body are not eligible, the government clarified.

Each tour will be three days and two nights long and will be organised through the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation. The Tirth Yatra Vikas Samiti will fund the programmes from its existing funds. The government expects to incur a cost of Rs 7,000 per pilgrim, Sisodia said.

Those interested can apply online or through the office of the divisional commissioner, the office of MLAs, or the Tirth Yatra Committee, IANS reported. The pilgrims will be selected after a draw of lots. Sisodia did not say when the trips will begin, but said the scheme will be rolled out soon.