Rajeev Khanna
Himachal Pradesh government has launched a populist scheme ‘Dev Bhoomi Darshan’ for the senior citizen. The scheme encapsulates free travel for senior citizens above the ago of 80 years to famous temples and places while the senior citizens below this age can avail 50 percent discount. A member will be allowed to travel as an assistant with older persons over 80 years of age and would be entitled to 80 percent discount in the fare.
The moot question here is that can a cash strapped Himachal Pradesh afford to run such schemes. A similar scheme had also been started by former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and had come in for major criticism. It was reportedly stopped by the successive government in the state.
According to a Himachal Pradesh government spokesperson the government is sensitive and committed towards welfare of about seven lakh elderly persons in the state.
“The main objective of Dev Bhoomi Darshan scheme is to provide comfortable and better transport facilities for the elderly persons visiting religious places with the view to protect this vulnerable class of society from social neglect and loneliness. Due to the lack of financial constraints and facilities, senior citizens are unable to travel the religious places. This scheme will fulfill the dream of elderly persons of Himachal Pradesh who wish to undertake religious pilgrimage,” the spokesperson said.
This scheme will be implemented in all the district headquarters so that maximum senior citizens can avail this benefit. In order to implement the scheme, district committees will be formed under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, who will complete the other formalities for implementing the scheme.
The travel period will be about one week. The income of the elderly persons availing the benefit should not be more than one lakh rupees. The benefits of this scheme can only be claimed by the elderly persons of Himachal Pradesh. The facility of travelling will be available only once in three years. The district language officer has been given the responsibility of spreading this scheme and spreading the scheme in time.
Critics point out that the populist scheme comes just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. “On one side the government does not have money to pay salaries and pensions and on the other it is launching such schemes. It is washing its hands off when it comes to giving subsidies for farm inputs. The state cannot afford such schemes,” pointed out CPM leader Onkar Shad..
