Key Highlights of the Report

• A record 1,92,313 elderly individuals registered for the Rajasthan Free Pilgrimage Scheme 2026.
• Out of the total applicants, over 1.10 lakh seniors have preferred air travel for their spiritual journey.
• 50,000 seniors will visit 15 major pilgrimage sites via AC trains, while 6,000 will be flown to Pashupatinath in Nepal.
• Jaipur topped the list with the highest number of applications (13,063), whereas Phalodi saw the lowest participation (559).
• Due to the overwhelming response, passengers will be selected transparently through a computerized lottery system.

Spiritual Journey to 15 Prominent Religious Destinations

Under this ambitious scheme, the state government will facilitate free travel for 50,000 elderly citizens via air-conditioned (AC) trains to 15 prominent religious destinations across the country. The itinerary includes sacred sites such as Rameshwaram-Madurai, Jagannath Puri-Konark, Vaishno Devi-Amritsar, Dwarkapuri-Somnath, Haridwar-Rishikesh, Mathura-Vrindavan, Sammed Shikhar, Kamakhya, Mahakaleshwar, Tirupati Balaji, Shri Hazur Sahib, Gangasagar, and prominent temples and churches in Goa.

Additionally, 6,000 selected devotees will be flown to the renowned Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal. The Devasthan Minister clarified that passengers will be assigned travel modes and destinations based strictly on the options they selected during registration.

Jaipur Leads the Chart, All 41 Districts Participate

The Devasthan Department received a total of 1,14,579 application forms, reflecting active participation from every corner of the state. The capital city, Jaipur, leads the chart with a maximum of 13,063 forms submitted. It is followed by Jodhpur (6,422), Kota (5,752), and Udaipur (5,078), where seniors showed immense interest. Conversely, the Phalodi district recorded the lowest engagement, with the department receiving just 559 applications.

Transparent Selection via Computerized Lottery

Given that the number of applications far exceeds the designated quotas, the final selection of passengers will be kept entirely transparent. A district-level committee will finalize the names of the travelers through a computerized lottery system based on district-wise allotted quotas. Alongside the main selection list, a ‘waiting list’ will also be prepared. This ensures that if a selected passenger drops out at the last moment, the opportunity is passed on to the next eligible applicant.

A Fully Sponsored Trip by the State Government

The selected senior citizens will not have to spend a single penny during this pilgrimage. The Rajasthan government will entirely bear the expenses for their travel, accommodation, high-quality meals, local transport, and round-the-clock medical assistance throughout the duration of the journey.

The post Massive Craze for Free Pilgrimage Among Rajasthan’s Elderly: 1.92 Lakh Register, 1.10 Lakh Opt for Air Travel appeared first on Mission Ki Awaaz.