775 senior citizens from Odisha on state-sponsored pilgrimage to Ayodhya, Varanasi

Bhubaneswar, Sep 10 (PTI) A total of 775 elderly people from six districts of Odisha went on a state-sponsored pilgrimage to Ayodhya and Varanasi on Wednesday.

Deputy CMs KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida flagged off a special train as part of the 'Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra' at the Bhubaneswar station.

"This special pilgrimage train will take devotees on a spiritually enriching journey through the sacred route of Bhubaneswar-Haridwar-Varanasi, enabling our senior citizens to fulfil their long-cherished tirtha yatra aspirations with dignity and comfort," Singh Deo wrote on X.

These elderly people belong to Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Dhenkanal, and Kendrapara districts. They embarked on the journey with 25 escort officers, Parida said.

She said about 8,000 senior citizens will visit various pilgrimage sites under the scheme during the current financial year. PTI BBM BBM SOM