Chandigarh : The Punjab and Haryana High Court received an affidavit from the Punjab government, revealing a budget allocation of 40 crores for the ongoing financial year towards the Mukh Mantri Tirth Yatra Scheme. Implemented since November 27, 2023, the scheme has already benefited 34,850 pilgrims by April 12, 2024. This disclosure came in response to a PIL filed by Parvinder Singh Kittna, challenging the scheme’s viability, citing it as a misuse of taxpayers’ money.
The state justified the initiative, stating it addresses the religious sentiments of residents, backed by representations from MLAs. Furthermore, an MoU with IRCTC has facilitated travel arrangements, with AC trains and buses deployed at negotiated rates. Addressing concerns regarding discrimination, the state differentiated the scheme from the discontinued Haji Subsidy Scheme, asserting its inclusive nature. Additionally, the government clarified that there are currently no plans to include aeroplane or charter plane travel in the scheme.
