Bhubaneswar: The Jagannath Darshan consent drive has gathered pace after the Odisha Tourism Department asked district collectors to expedite the collection process for the upcoming Shri Jagannath Darshan Yojana (SJDY).
The government plans to launch the new pilgrimage scheme soon, aiming to provide senior citizens and eligible widows with organised opportunities to visit the Jagannath Temple in Puri, according to reports. Under the scheme’s guidelines, people aged 60 to 75 and widows up to 75 years who receive a State or central pension are automatic beneficiaries. However, officials said that submitting a consent form is mandatory to participate in the programme.
In a letter dated January 27, Tourism Director Deepankar Mohapatra wrote to all district collectors stating that consent form collection has not reached satisfactory levels. He said district officials must monitor the process closely and accelerate efforts to meet targets.
Earlier, the Department of Tourism had asked District Social Security Officers to gather consent forms from pensioners on January 15 at the time of pension distribution at the gram panchayat level. However, several districts have lagged in completing this task, prompting the latest reminder from the state government.
Officials said the SJDY aims to select 5,000 beneficiaries in the current financial year (2025–26) and 30,000 in the next year (2026–27). They stressed that collecting consent forms promptly will help finalise the list of participants and ensure smooth implementation of the scheme.
The Department sources highlighted that the pilgrimage programme is intended to offer safe and comfortable travel for beneficiaries. They said the initiative will not only support spiritual fulfilment for elderly residents but also strengthen cultural ties within the state.
The Department has asked collectors, DSSOs, and other officials to take “immediate and necessary action” to complete the consent drive without delay.
