Nabarangpur (Odisha), February 13 Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched a scheme on Friday to enable poor, widows, and elderly persons to visit the Jagannath temple in Puri at least once in their lifetime.
The state government will bear the cost of the visit, which will enhance the spiritual and cultural well-being, he said.
"I launched the Shri Jagannath Darshan Yojana (SJDY) for the people of Nabarangpur. The state government considers the people as the center of governance, and therefore, it is our highest duty to fulfill their hopes and aspirations," Majhi said.
The chief minister said that many times, due to financial constraints or family problems, economically backward and senior citizens are deprived of the darshan of Lord Jagannath.
"To meet their unfulfilled religious desire, we have started this innovative scheme, where the government will take elderly and widowed women like Shravan Kumar to the shrine with respect and arrange their hassle-free darshan and the consumption of Mahaprasad," Majhi said.
Shravan Kumar, a character in the Ramayana, took his blind and elderly parents on a pilgrimage by placing them in two baskets and carrying them on his shoulders.
Stating that the scheme is set to enhance the spiritual and cultural well-being of vulnerable communities, the chief minister said under provisions of the SJDY, senior citizens aged 60 years to 75 years and widows up to 75 years who belong to economically weaker sections, will avail free travel to Puri, where they will have the opportunity to visit the Jagannath Temple.
The scheme will also provide free 'Mahaprasad', along with transportation, accommodation, and food expenses, all covered by the state government.
The first phase of the initiative will benefit more than 500 devotees from various districts. The scheme, jointly implemented by the departments of tourism and transport, was simultaneously launched from Sambalpur, Bhadrak, Berhampur and Baripada.
Majhi said the state government will take care of the travel, stay and food of the beneficiaries.
While the night halt arrangements will be made at Puri for the beneficiaries from 21 districts, the devotees of eight other coastal districts will undertake a day tour to the temple, an official said.
According to the tourism department, the scheme aims to benefit 5,000 people in 2025-26 fiscal and 30,000 in 2026-27 financial year. The scheme is to remain effective till 2028-29 fiscal. A total of approximately 1,00,000 beneficiaries will be selected from across the state during the duration of the scheme, an official order said.