Team Goemkarponn
Margao: The first Dev Darshan Yatra train to Vellankani under the Chief Minister’s Dev Darshan Yatra scheme was flagged off on Thursday by Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phaldesai from Margao railway station.
The Directorate of Social Welfare, Government of Goa, has announced the schedule for the Mukhyamantri Dev Darshan Yatra Yojana for the year 2025–26, under which senior citizens are provided one-time travel assistance in their lifetime to visit important pilgrimage centres outside the State.
Under the scheme, four pilgrimage tours have been organised this year in coordination with the Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. (GTDC). The destinations included in the itinerary are Vellankani and Ayodhya.
As per the schedule released by the Directorate, the Vellankani pilgrimage will be conducted on January 9, 2026. Three separate tours to Ayodhya have been scheduled on January 19, January 26 and February 2, 2026.
The pilgrimages will be conducted under an agency package, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Government of Goa and agencies appointed by the Directorate of Social Welfare from time to time.
Each tour will accommodate a minimum of 750 pilgrims, or as per the seating capacity of the train, whichever is lower.
To be eligible under the scheme, applicants must be between 50 and 70 years of age. One attendant is allowed to accompany each beneficiary free of cost. Applicants must be physically and mentally fit to undertake the journey and should not be suffering from communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, heart ailments, leprosy or COVID-19.
Beneficiaries are required to submit a self-medical certificate or self-declaration through the designated portal. They must also furnish a self-declaration stating that they have not availed benefits under the scheme earlier.
Eligible and interested senior citizens have been asked to apply online through the official website or mobile application developed for the scheme at www.yatraconnect.in
. The Directorate of Social Welfare has urged citizens to complete their registrations at the earliest to avail the benefit.
