Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday unveiled the guidelines for the Baristha Nagarik Tirtha Yatra Yojana 2026–27, paving the way for the implementation of the State’s flagship pilgrimage scheme aimed at providing senior citizens an opportunity to visit religious destinations across the country with government support.
Deputy Chief Minister and Tourism Minister Pravati Parida released the guidelines at a press conference held at Paryatan Bhawan in Bhubaneswar and said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment towards ensuring safe, dignified and accessible pilgrimage experiences for senior citizens.
“Senior citizens have contributed immensely to society, and the scheme is an effort to support their spiritual aspirations by facilitating pilgrimages with proper arrangements and assistance,” Parida said.
According to the Tourism Department, more than 45,555 senior citizens have benefited from the scheme since its launch, undertaking pilgrimages to several revered religious destinations across India.
Under the newly released guidelines, applications for the 2026–27 edition of the scheme will be accepted from July 15 to August 14, 2026. Eligible senior citizens can apply online through yatra.odisha.gov.in or submit applications through the prescribed offline process.
The application forms and detailed guidelines, including eligibility criteria, selection procedure and other operational details, are available on the Tourism Department website.
The scheme aims to facilitate senior citizens’ travel to important religious destinations by providing necessary support and ensuring a hassle-free pilgrimage experience.
The press conference was attended by Tourism Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Balwant Singh, Director of Tourism Deepankar Mohapatra, IRCTC Bhubaneswar Regional Officer Anuj Dutta, along with senior officials of IRCTC and the Tourism Department.
