Ranchi, Oct 29 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das Monday flagged off a train carrying elderly people on pilgrimage to Puri as part of a state government scheme.

The Jharkhand government introduced the Mukhya Mantri Tirth Darshan Yozana in 2016 and over 5000 pilgrims have availed the scheme till now, an official release said quoting Das.

"It is the duty of every son to take his parents on pilgrimage. I too am discharging my duty as the son of Jharkhand by sending elderly poor people on pilgrimage," Das said before flagging off the train from Hatia station here.

One member of each family of the elderly person is accompanying them, he said.

The chief minister said the state government will send poor people to Kumbhmela also on government expense.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)