Chandigarh, September 19 – Faith and sacrifice run deep in Punjab’s soil, yet many elderly people are unable to fulfill their lifelong wish of visiting holy places due to financial struggles. To bridge this emotional gap, the Mann Government has launched the Chief Minister Pilgrimage Scheme, turning unfulfilled dreams into journeys of dignity and devotion.

Launch and Expansion

The scheme was first launched on 6 November 2023, with Cabinet approval for the period 27 November 2023 to 29 February 2024 and an initial budget of ₹40 crore. On 27 December 2023, the first train departed from Amritsar to Shri Nanded Sahib, carrying the inaugural batch of pilgrims.

In the first phase alone, 33,893 devotees visited various holy sites. Building on this success, the government reduced the eligibilit

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