Finance
A special pilgrim train carrying 775 old residents from five districts of Odisha left Berhampur on Monday as part of the state government’s Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana, which aims to make it easier for elderly people to go to holy places.
The train was launched off by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida in the presence of Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia, and several MLAs. The pilgrims, who are on a five-day spiritual pilgrimage to Omkareshwar and Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, are set to return on November 21.
Prior to departure, a separate health camp was established up outside the Berhampur train station to provide medical examinations to all passengers. The Ganjam district administration supplied housing and meals to pilgrims arriving from neighboring districts on Sunday.
As part of the Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana, the state government has organized ten pilgrimage excursions this year from various stations such as Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Rayagada, and Balasore. Notably, a similar special train had left Berhampur on September 19 for Ayodhya and Varanasi.
