Chandigarh, June 24 -- More than 2.42 lakh devotees have undertaken free pilgrimages under Punjab's Mukhyamantri Tirath Yatra Scheme since its launch in November last year, with nearly 73% (1.77 lakh) opting for Amritsar. The remaining 65,196 devotees, or 27% of the total beneficiaries, visited Anandpur Sahib.

The figures come days after the Bhagwant Mann government on June 14 expanded the scheme by adding four new destinations - Salasar Balaji Dham and Khatu Shyam Ji in Rajasthan, Haridwar-Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, and Mathura-Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh.

In its first phase, the scheme operated on two pilgrimage circuits, entailing an expenditure of Rs.103 crore. The first covers Darbar Sahib, Durgiana Temple and Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir ...