Now, state-sponsored pilgrimage for differently-abled in Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh government has decided to sponsor trips to key pilgrimage centres across the country for differently-abled people of the state.

For this purpose, the Social Welfare Department has made amendments in the Chhattisgarh Mukhyamantri Teerth Yojna Act 2012 which was meant for aged people, an official release said in Raipur on Wednesday.

Chhattisgarh had implemented a scheme in 2012 for sending senior citizens of the state to prominent pilgrimages at government's cost, once in their life time, on the lines of a similar model which was implemented in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. So far, 60,000 people in the state have benefited from this scheme, it said.

Now, differently-abled people of the state can also undertake pilgrimage of famous places of the country, under the Chhattisgarh Mukhyamantri Teerathyatra Yojana. The department has issued a notification of amendment in the Act on June 18, 2014, it said.

According to the notification, such differently-abled person, classified under section 2(N) of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, would be eligible of taking benefit of the scheme.

Now, hearing impaired, deaf and dumb, visually impaired and physically disabled person will be eligible for the pilgrimage.

Differently-abled person, who is above 18 years of age and not an income tax payer, will be eligible under the scheme, it said.

The beneficiaries will have to mention the name of their life partner in the application form.

They can also go in a group of five. An assistant for each differently-abled person, who is nearest or choice of the person concerned, is compulsory for the pilgrimage, it added.