Ex-minister flags off pilgrims’ bus

Phagwara, February 3

Former Minister Joginder Singh Mann along with tehsildar Baljinder Singh flagged off a Punjab Roadways bus under the ‘Mukh Mantri Teerth Yatra’ scheme here on Saturday. The bus with 43 pilgrims on board would travel to Shri Khatu Shyamji.

Speaking on the occasion, the former minister said the Punjab Government had started the pilgrimage scheme to facilitate people to visit religious places free of cost on November 27 last year.

Mann said during journey, all expenses related to food and accommodation would be borne by the state government.

Under the scheme, Mann said through trains and buses, pilgrims were ferried free of cost to most religious places including Amritsar, Sri Hazur Sahib, Sri Patna Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib, Mata Naina Devi, Vrindavan Dham, Mata Vaishno Devi, Mata Chintapurni, Mata Jawala, Varanasi, Sri Khatu Shyamji, Sri Salasar Balaji Dham and Khwaja Ajmer Sharif Dargah.

Mann said an amount of Rs 40 crore would be spent by the state government on the pilgrimage scheme. He said people going on pilgrimage underwent medical check-up. Special bags containing necessary items were provided to pilgrims, he added.