Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Thursday that the state has expanded the Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra Yojana pilgrimage scheme.
The expansion increases accessibility for devotees by removing financial barriers to travel. By providing free trips to sacred sites, the government aims to support the spiritual needs of citizens who may lack the means for independent travel.
Mann said "more pilgrimage sites have been included in the 'Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra Yojana' scheme" during the announcement. The initiative is designed to facilitate religious journeys for residents of Punjab through state-funded logistics.
Under the new updates, the state government will facilitate free pilgrimages to three additional destinations: Khatu Shyam, Salasar, and Vrindavan [1]. These sites are significant centers of devotion and will now be integrated into the existing framework of the program.
The program's growth reflects an effort to broaden the scope of the state's religious tourism support. Mann said the expansion ensures that more devotees can visit a wider variety of sacred locations without incurring personal costs.
Officials said that the expansion would be implemented across the state, with coordination efforts focused in Mohali and Chandigarh. The government will manage the travel arrangements to ensure a streamlined process for the beneficiaries of the scheme.
“"more pilgrimage sites have been included in the 'Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra Yojana' scheme"”
The expansion of the Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra Yojana represents a strategic move by the Punjab government to leverage social welfare programs for religious engagement. By funding trips to high-traffic sites like Vrindavan and Khatu Shyam, the administration is addressing specific cultural and spiritual demands of its constituency, potentially strengthening its relationship with religious communities through direct state subsidies.
