Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday launched a special train under the Senior Citizens Pilgrimage Scheme. Today, the Bhubaneswar-Shirdi-Nashik train was launched. As per reports, 800 senior citizens from Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack and Dhenkanal districts are going on the pilgrimage. This year, a total of 8,000 senior citizens from different districts of the state will go on the pilgrimage in 10 trips in a phased manner. As many as 800 senior citizens will go on the pilgrimage in each trip. Through the Senior Citizens Pilgrimage Scheme, senior citizens of the state will be given opportunity to visit 10 pilgrimage places including Shirdi, Nashik, Kamakhya, Banarasi, Dakshina Kali Maa temple in Kolkata, Ayodhya etc. The state government has made arrangements for travel, accommodation and food from the village to the station and from the railway station to the pilgrimage place under this scheme. The government will provide guide and escort team facilities to the pilgrims during the journey. Citizens aged 60 to 75 years are availing this facility. Senior citizens can avail this pilgrimage facility by applying for this. They are required to submit certificates as proof of being economically backward.
