Madhya Pradesh will very soon become the first state in India to send elderly people on pilgrimage by air free of cost, state government officials have said here on Thursday.

At a meeting chaired by Home and Religious Affairs department Additional Chief Secretary Dr Rajesh Rajora, it was decided that the first batch of pilgrims would take off from the Bhopal airport on 21 May to visit Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be present at the airport to see off the pilgrims.

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The officials pointed out that MP is the first state in the country to launch this free air trip facility for pilgrimage.

The officers said 32 pilgrims over the age of 65 years would benefit from this free air trip for their pilgrimage. Among them are 24 men and eight women.

As per the terms of the scheme, people above the age of 65 years who are not income tax payee are eligible to avail the facility to visit pilgrimage sites.

The officers said earlier it used to take at least four to five days for such people to complete a pilgrimage travelling by train. Now, the elderly people will be able to return home within 24 to 36 hours by availing the air travel facility.

Following the first set of pilgrims, several other elderly people would also be sent by air on pilgrimage to different sites across the country, as per a schedule.