Andhra Govt enhances financial assistance to Christian pilgrims

The government of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday enhanced the financial assistance to Christian pilgrims who plan on visiting Jerusalem and other Biblical places.

According to a letter by Dr Mohd Ilyas Rizvi, Principal Secretary to the Government, the pilgrims who have an annual income of up to Rs 3 lakhs will receive financial assistance of Rs 60,000, which was increased from Rs 40,000.

On the other hand, the pilgrims who have an annual income of more than Rs 3 lakhs will receive financial assistance of Rs 30,000, which was earlier Rs 20,000.

The financial assistance will be delivered by the Christian (Minorities) Financial Corporation.

The scheme was launched by the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh in 2013, where all the Christian pilgrims received financial assistance of Rs 20,000.

In 2016, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government maintained the financial assistance of Rs 20,000 to pilgrims having an annual income of more than Rs 3 lakhs. However, it increased the assistance of pilgrims having an annual income lower than Rs 3 lakhs to Rs 40,000.