Bhubaneswar, Aug. 28: The state government-sponsored pilgrimage tour for senior citizens will begin in October.

Launched in July last year, the first pilgrimage train had chugged out of the Berhampur railway station in Ganjam with more than a thousand people from 10 south Odisha districts. This trip was of nine days and covered Rameswaram and Madurai.

In 2016, the government sponsored the pilgrimages of 3,000 senior citizens. Three thousand more people will be taken on similar tours this year.

All citizens above the age of 60 years are covered by this scheme. An individual can only avail this benefit once. While below poverty line people will travel for free, those above poverty line will get 50 per cent subsidy.

"The state government would bear the entire tour expenditure of the devotees including travel, accommodation and medical expenses," said tourism minister Ashok Panda.

In the first phase, senior citizens from central Odisha will be taken to Ajmer and Pushkar in October from Bhubaneswar.

In December, senior citizens from the northern parts of the state will be taken to Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur from Sambalpur. In the last phase, senior citizens will be taken to Tirupati and Vellore in January from Berhampur.

"The tourism department will publish advertisements shortly following which interested people can visit the local collector's office or contact the district tourist officer to benefit from the scheme," said the minister.

The Odisha Tourism Development Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation for smooth conduct of the tours.

The state government launched the Odisha State Senior Citizens Policy last year. Under the policy, which had been framed by the department of social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities, emphasis is on health, financial and physical security, welfare and conveyance subsidy of the senior citizens.