Days before Ashadhi Ekadashi, Maharashtra govt announces pension scheme for Warkaris

The GR does not mention the other details of the pension scheme like eligibility criteria and the amount.

“The other details including criteria and amount will be decided by the board,” an official said.

Besides the pension scheme, the GR entails insurance schemes and other facilities for the warkaris. As per the GR, a retired Indian Administrative Service official will be the managing director of the board.

Earlier the state government had announced to provide financial assistance of Rs 20,000 to each dindi (the Warkaris’ procession) from this year. A fund of Rs. 36.71 crore was made available for this purpose.

Pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens

Meanwhile , the government has also announced Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana under which senior citizens with an annual income of up to Rs 2.5 lakh are entitled to Rs 30,000 to cover travel, accommodation, and food expenses.

The government has identified 139 religious sites, including 73 from across the country and 66 from within the state, to facilitate free pilgrimages for senior citizens under the scheme.

A GR detailing this scheme was issued on Sunday, following its approval by the state Cabinet last week.

The pilgrimage destinations include prominent religious sites such as Vaishno Devi temple, Amarnath Caves, Golden Temple in Amritsar, Char Dham Yatra, Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Somnath Temple in Dwarka, and Jagannath Puri in Odisha.

Additionally, religious places in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, as well as significant Buddhist and Jain sites, are included.

Within Maharashtra, 15 religious locations in Mumbai are part of the scheme. These include Siddhivinayak temple, Chaityabhoomi (associated with B.R. Ambedkar), Vipassana pagoda, a synagogue, Mount Mary church in Bandra and St Andrews Church, besides the Jain Temple in Nashik, and Dikshabhoomi in Nagpur, where Ambedkar embraced Buddhism.

Applicants above the age of 75 are allowed to take along a spouse or attendant.

A 17-member committee has been established to review the scheme at the state level, with a seven-member panel, including the assistant commissioner of the social justice department as the member secretary, set up at the district level.