Pilgrimages for senior citizens at concessionary rates

by S.M. Wijayaratne, Kurunegala Corr.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has issued a directive to Minister of Social Services Felix Perera to introduce a novel program for senior citizens to go on sacred pilgrimages to other countries.

Accordingly, devotees belonging to all faiths Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam will visit their most sacred places of worship in other countries at very concessionary rates. Christians can visit Velakkanni shrine and Hindus can visit Thirupathy in India.

Muslims can visit Mecca and Buddhist can visit India to worship their very sacred and historic places of worship. Government pensioners can pay the fees of these pilgrimages in instalments from their pensions.

The Ministry of Social Services would undertake all responsibilities in this regard.

Under this program, the maiden pilgrimage would be launched soon by the Ministry of Social Services to India with a team of the Buddhists with Bhikkhus and a doctor.

The Elders' Associations in the country can join the Ministry of Social Services in organising these pilgrimages, said Divisional Secretary for Bingiriya W.E. Jayathilake at a meeting of representatives of Elders' Associations in the Kurunegala District held recently at Bingiriya.