Delhi govt to roll-out free pilgrimage scheme for elderly: Sisodia

The Delhi government is planning to roll-out the Mukhya Mantri Tirath Yatra scheme under which it will send senior citizens on pilgrimage free of cost, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said today.

Around 77,000 elderly people, who are bona-fide residents of Delhi, will be sent on various religious trips, the entire cost of which, including the insurance of pilgrims, will be borne by the government, he said presenting the budget in the assembly.

Sisodia said Rs 53 crore has been allocated in the budget for the scheme, which has been approved by the Cabinet.

"But approval of Lt Governor is still awaited. Hopefully, he will approve this important scheme for senior citizens of Delhi at the earliest," Sisodia said.

The Delhi government allocated Rs 4,155 crore for social security and welfare, about 8 per cent of the total budget of Rs 53,000 crore for 2018-19 financial year.

The government will install CCTV cameras in all anganwadi centres and provide mobile phones to anganwadi workers which will help in proper monitoring and reporting of services and programmes under the ICDS project.

The government has taken up "Incentivised Anganwadi Upgradation Scheme under which model anganwadi centres would be created.

"I also propose a new scheme, 'Training for Parents and Anganwadi Samitis on Early Childhood Education' and propose an allocation of Rs 56 crore under these schemes and 541 crore under the ICDS for 2018-19 fiscal," he said.

He said the government has decided to implement a new scheme, "Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse" to strengthen the de-addiction and rehabilitation services and to make supplementary measures in this direction.

This scheme will be implemented after the approval of the Lt Governor, Sisodia said.

The government also proposed a Fixed Deposit Scheme for students belonging to SC/ST/OBC/Minorities on lines of the Ladli Scheme.

The government has launched "Jai Bhim Muhkhyamantri Pratibha Yojana under which coaching is provided to SC students. An amount of 24 crore is proposed under this scheme in 2018-19, Sisodia said.