Pilgrims ready, govt not: Delays scupper popular scheme

PANAJI
After undertaking as many as 17 pilgrim trips over the last three years, the Social Welfare Department is now awaiting the State government’s approval to restart the Mukhyamantri Dev Darshan Yatra Yojana for the current financial year.
Sources confirmed to 'The Goan' that the scheme file is presently with the Finance Department and other concerned authorities.
“The file has been moved to the government. It awaits nod from the Finance and other related departments, after a thorough scrutiny of the requirements for the current financial year,” a senior official said.
The scheme, which allows Goan devotees to travel on special trains to prominent pilgrimage sites, gained momentum earlier this year when the government arranged three special trains to Prayagraj in February for the Mahakumbh. In a rare relaxation of rules, eligibility was extended to devotees aged between 18 and 60 years without medical conditions, against the usual 50-plus age limit. Over 4,000 pilgrims are reported to have availed themselves of the facility during that period.
In one of those trips, concerns deepened after the death of a pilgrim from Curchorem, Rama Pednekar, aged 60 years, who reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest during the trip. The Social Welfare Minister, Subhash Phal Dessai, then recommended that only those in good health should participate in the pilgrimage using government-sponsored transportation.
Despite such challenges, enthusiasm for the scheme remains high, with several pending applications awaiting government clearance. However, the government refrained from mentioning the scheme in the current budget.
“I had applied for the Velankanni pilgrimage months ago. We are waiting for the new schedule and confirmation of application,” a St Cruz resident said, adding the matter has been raised with the local MLA.
The minister remained unavailable for comment.