IRCTC, state to fund senior BPL citizens' pilgrimages

IRCTC, state to fund senior BPL citizens' pilgrimages

RANCHI: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC) on Tuesday entered into an understanding for jointly bearing the expenses of pilgrimages undertaken by BPL senior citizens.

Chief minister Raghubar Das and IRCTC chairman cum managing director Dr A K Manocha oversaw the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signature that cleared the deck for the implementation of Mukhyamantri Teerth Yojana which got the cabinet nod last month.

Under the understanding, the IRCTC will run two special trains to Puri (Odisha) and ferry 1,000 pilgrims every month. The pilgrims will be fed, lodged and taken out for sightseeing by IRCTC while the expenses will be borne by JTDC.

"The train will have on board paramedics to take care of health needs and will be brought under travel insurance (applicable under accidents). The IRCTC will arrange for hospital if anyone falls ill. A caretaker will also be allowed to accompany the pilgrims," Manocha said after the agreement at the railway officer's guest house.

Sources said two trains will be initially run by the IRCTC. The first train from Hatia to Puri is expected to run on November 15. The pilgrims, all from BPL families, will be shortlisted by JTDC. JTDC has allocated Rs 1.5 crore for the scheme. "There are plans to extend the services to other religious sites across India in the coming months," a senior IRCTC official said.

The IRCTC has recently entered into a MoU with the Punjab government for ferrying special pilgrim trains from this year. Around 110 trains will be run in a phased manner from Punjab, Manocha said.

In the presence of state tourism minister Amar Kumar Bauri, the CM also directed JTDC to plan for sending senior BPL citizens for pilgrimages within Jharkhand on special bus services in area lacking railway connectivity.

Manocha also said the IRCTC is bringing in a new policy for improving on board catering services in premium and other trains.

Source:Times Of India