AI SummaryMadhya Pradesh government is running Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana in 2026 for senior citizens who want to visit holy places outside the state without paying for the trip. Men aged 60 and above and women aged 58 and above can apply, and the state pays for the special train journey, food, drinking water, stay and local bus travel.
Religious Trusts and Endowments Department (Dharmasva Vibhag) runs this scheme, and IRCTC handles the travel arrangements. Started in June 2012, it still works the same way in 2026 with one free pilgrimage trip in a lifetime for each eligible person. Applications are taken at the tehsil level whenever a new yatra schedule is announced by the district collector.
Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana 2026 Application Process
Application is offline at the tehsil level, and the form can be downloaded online. There is no separate login-based portal for this scheme, so the form has to be submitted in hard copy with documents attached. Forms must be filled in Hindi.
STEP 1 - Get the application form from your nearest Tehsil or Sub-Tehsil office, or download the PDF form from the department website at dharmasva.mp.gov.in using the Teerth Darshan application form download link.
STEP 2 - Fill two copies of the form in Hindi, paste one colour passport size photo, and write a mobile number and address of a relative for emergency contact.
STEP 3 - Attach the required documents along with the medical certificate that says you are physically and mentally fit and free from infectious diseases.
STEP 4 - Submit the filled form at the Tehsil office, Sub-Tehsil office or the district office of the Religious Trust and Endowment Directorate before the last date given in the yatra notice for your district.
STEP 5 - Wait for the district collector to release the selected list. If applications are more than the seats given to the district, names are picked by lottery, and a waiting list of about 10 percent is also kept.
Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana Highlights
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana |
| Launched By | Madhya Pradesh government, June 2012 |
| Main Department | Religious Trusts and Endowments Department (Dharmasva) |
| Eligible People | MP residents, men 60 years and above, women 58 years and above, non-taxpayers |
| Benefit | Free one-time pilgrimage trip with train travel, food, stay and bus transfer |
| Travel Partner | IRCTC |
| Application Mode | Offline at Tehsil or Sub-Tehsil office, form downloadable online |
| Official Website | dharmasva.mp.gov.in |
| Status in 2026 | Running, yatra trips announced district wise |
Benefits Given Under the Scheme
Whole cost of the pilgrimage trip is paid by the state, so an elderly person does not have to depend on family money for the journey. Travel is done in a special train booked for the group, and everything from breakfast to the return trip is planned in advance.
- One free pilgrimage trip in a lifetime to a listed holy place outside Madhya Pradesh, including train fare both ways.
- Breakfast, meals and clean drinking water during the whole yatra, arranged by IRCTC under a contract with the department.
- Stay arrangement at the pilgrimage place and bus travel from the railway station to the temple or site wherever needed.
- Escort staff and liaison officers travel with the group to help with any problem on the way.
Who Can Apply
Rules for who can apply have not changed in 2026. Age, income tax status and health are the three main checks done at the tehsil level before the name goes into the district list.
1. Applicant must be a native and permanent resident of Madhya Pradesh.
2. Men must have completed 60 years of age, and women get a two year relaxation, so 58 years is enough for them.
3. People with disability above 60 percent can apply at any age, there is no age limit for them.
4. Applicant must not be an income tax payer.
5. Anyone who has already taken the benefit of this scheme once cannot apply again.
6. If a husband or wife is eligible, the life partner can also travel along even if the partner is below the age limit.
7. Applicant must be physically and mentally fit and free from infectious diseases such as TB, leprosy, heart problems like coronary thrombosis or breathing blockage related illness. A doctor certificate proving this has to be attached.
8. A group of up to 25 people can apply together, and the head of the group will be treated as the main applicant.
9. Single travellers above 65 years and people with more than 60 percent disability can take one helper or care taker along.
Pilgrimage Places Covered
Department picks the destination list and runs trains to one or two paired places in each trip. Sites covered include Shri Badrinath, Shri Kedarnath, Shri Jagannath Puri, Shri Dwarka Ji, Haridwar, Amarnath, Vaishno Devi, Shirdi, Tirupati, Ajmer Sharif, Kashi, Amritsar, Rameshwaram, Sammed Shikhar, Shravan Belgola and Velankanni Church in Nagapattinam. Apart from this scheme, the department also runs Sindhu Darshan Yatra to Ladakh, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the Sita temple yatra to Sri Lanka for MP residents.
Documents Required
Keep photocopies of the papers ready before going to the tehsil office, because incomplete forms get rejected at the counter itself.
- Identity proof such as Aadhaar card or Voter ID, which also has to be carried during the yatra.
- Residence proof of Madhya Pradesh, like ration card, electricity bill or driving licence.
- Age proof showing date of birth.
- Recent colour passport size photographs.
- Medical certificate of physical and mental fitness with no infectious disease.
- Disability certificate, only if applying under the disability relaxation.
Rules to Follow During the Yatra
Department has given a set of travel rules for everyone in the group. Carry an emergency contact number and address, behave well during the trip, and follow what the liaison officer or escort says. Flammable items, liquor and other intoxicants are not allowed. Costly jewellery and valuables should be left at home. Pack woollen clothes as per the weather, a blanket, bedsheet, towel, soap and your regular medicines. State government or its staff will not be responsible for any accident or difficulty during the journey.
Help and Contact
For dates of the next yatra, seat quota of your district and the status of your form, contact the Tehsil office or the district office of the Religious Trust and Endowment Directorate. Orders and circulars about the scheme are put up in the orders and circulars tab of the department website. District collector offices also publish the selected list locally.
If you are looking at other support for elderly people in the state, check Indira Gandhi National Vridhavastha Pension Yojana and Samagr Samajik Suraksha Pension Yojana. A full list is given on the Madhya Pradesh government schemes list page.
References
Details in this article are based on these official sources:
Religious Trusts and Endowments Department scheme page | Teerth Darshan application form PDF | Panna district portal scheme page
FAQ's
Is Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana running in 2026?
Yes, the scheme is running. Madhya Pradesh government keeps announcing yatra trips district wise through the Dharmasva department, and forms are taken at tehsil offices each time a trip is notified.
What is the age limit to apply?
Men need to be 60 years or above and women 58 years or above. People with more than 60 percent disability can apply at any age.
Can the trip be taken more than once?
No, the benefit is one time in a lifetime. Anyone who has already travelled under this scheme is not eligible again.
Is there any online application for this scheme?
No online submission is available. Only the form can be downloaded from dharmasva.mp.gov.in, and the filled copy has to be given at the Tehsil or Sub-Tehsil office.
Who pays for food and stay during the yatra?
State government pays for it. IRCTC arranges train travel, breakfast, meals, drinking water, stay at the pilgrimage place and bus transfer where needed.
What happens if applications are more than the seats?
District collector holds a lottery to pick names for the trip, and a waiting list of about 10 percent of the seats is also prepared.
Can a family member go along as a helper?
Yes. Single travellers above 65 years and people with more than 60 percent disability can take one care taker along with them.