Punjab: Review of tirath yatra scheme sought

Nath said the issue arose from a PIL in the court regarding the scheme under which the state provides free travel, boarding and lodging for pilgrims visiting various religious destinations

Social activist and former additional deputy CAG Onkar Nath on Tuesday sought a comprehensive review of the Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme in Punjab, particularly in the wake of a judgment of the Punjab and Haryana high court.

In a representation to the Punjab chief secretary, Nath sought a review of the scheme for fixing an economic criterion for beneficiaries.

He said the issue arose from a PIL in the court regarding the scheme under which the state provides free travel, boarding and lodging for pilgrims visiting various religious destinations.

He said the division bench, while declining to interfere with the scheme in its March 30 judgment because the matter fell within the state government’s policy domain, made the significant observation that “the fixation of economic criteria to enable persons of economically weaker sections to avail the scheme would have been better.”

The court thereafter asked the petitioner to raise his objections before the state government and specifically kept open the possibility of approaching the court again if the request was not accepted.

Nath said he requested the chief secretary to place the matter before the competent authority for a fresh policy review to redesign the scheme as a targeted welfare programme so that public assistance is directed primarily towards economically weaker and genuinely needy persons.