Tamil Nadu state funding Christian pilgrims to Holy Land

November 23, 2012 - The government of southern India’s Tamil Nadu state has issued guidelines for Christian pilgrims to avail of state-funded pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The government issued a statement on Thursday saying it would provide financial assistance of Rs. 20,000 to Christian pilgrims to undertake a pilgrimage to the land where Jesus Christ lived and died. The 10-day pilgrimage can be undertaken between February and May 2013. In the first phase, 500 Christians, belonging to various religious orders, will get the financial assistance. An official release said Rs. 20 million have been earmarked for two years for the purpose and the government has appointed a committee headed by labour minister T. M. Chellapandian to oversee the successful implementation of the scheme. The subsidy will cover 500 Christians every year and the pilgrimage would begin and end in Chennai.
Four members of a family can undertake the trip and preference would be given to those who are 70 years of age. The pilgrims would be shortlisted district-wise on a lot system. Those selected for undertaking the pilgrimage must have at least one-year valid passport and must be medically and physically fit to undertake the journey, the release said. Fulfilling her poll promise, chief minister J. Jayalalithaa had announced subsidies for people desiring to visit Hindu pilgrim sites like Kailash Manasarovar in China and Mukthinath in Nepal. Other state governments such as Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have set precedent in providing financial assistance for pilgrims to undertake trips to various religious destinations.